Unmasking the Broken
by Shadows in the Clouds
Summary: After getting hit by a spell from Loki, Tony's masks are removed leaving him vulnerable in the face of the Avengers. Seeing this, Steve decides to do the right thing and protect his teammate from his own worst enemy. His own past. Watch as Tony and Steve learn to navigate their new lives and maybe, just maybe, find love along the way. Mpreg
1. What time left us with

Well hello guys! Welcome to my newest fic. I hope you're all ready for a nice healthy dose of Stony in this one. Also, welcome to the alternate 2012 timeline created in Endgame! Here we'll explore what it's like to live in a work where Loki is free and causing mischief, where HYDRA is exposed early, and where Tony suffered a heart attack after the Battle of New York. I hope you guys all like this fic. I'll see you at the end.

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Tony Stark could honestly say that his life hadn't gotten any better since the formation of the Avengers. So far, nothing good had come out of it. All he did was fight, invent new tech, and hide away in his lab because the world seemed to hate him. He didn't even have Pepper by his side anymore. She'd broken up with him not long after what was being called the Battle of New York. Apparently seeing her boyfriend almost die carrying a bomb through a portal and then having a heart attack half an hour later was a little much to handle. It didn't help that Tony was also having horrible nightmares every single night. They tended to vary between Afghanistan and the battle but either way, Tony always woke up screaming. And now that Pepper was gone, he also woke up alone on the rare occasions he did sleep.

So yes, Tony didn't blame Pepper for leaving. Her mental health was important and Tony didn't want to see her suffer because of him. They were still good friends they just weren't together anymore.

But none of the Avengers knew this.

In fact, none of the Avengers really knew anything about Tony other then what was in his file or in the media. There wasn't much Tony could really do about that. Sure, they all lived at the tower together while they took down HYDRA and looked for Loki, but Tony hardly participated in team bonding. He just didn't have the time. He had work for SI, he was constantly fixing and reworking the gear for the team. It was exhausting. The only Avenger that Tony had really gotten to know was Bruce and that was only because they often shared lab space and worked together.

The days where Tony was alone in his lab were the worst. Things were silent except for the sounds of the bots and Tony occasionally asking JARVIS for something. Tony didn't really have the energy for music anymore. Although being alone with his thoughts wasn't much better.

There was a lot of work that needed to be done in the wake of the battle. Loki had taken off with the tesseract and would pop up every month or so just to cause trouble. It was never anything world ending. It was more mischief and annoyance. Plus, on top of that, they were fighting HYDRA.

The whole HYDRA thing was unexpected. A few weeks after the Battle of New York, Steve had been called into a meeting where he found out that HYDRA was still alive and well within SHIELD. For some reason, and nobody was quite sure how they'd gotten the idea, HYDRA was convinced that Steve was one of them. Steve told the other Avengers and they started an undercover mission to get information before exposing HYDRA. Once they had the information they told Fury and soon HYDRA was purged from SHIELD. Although, that didn't stop their troubles. HYDRA went into hiding and Tony had his work cut out for him trying to hack into their servers to get more information.

That was something really tough for everyone to be dealing with, especially Steve. He'd gotten confirmation that his old friend Bucky was alive and had been brainwashed by HYDRA into becoming the Winter Soldier. They'd been looking for him for months but it seemed like the man didn't want to be found. What also didn't help was that Tony was finding it nearly impossible to find a list of all the things Barnes had done while brainwashed. He wanted to help but he needed to find out what he'd done to give proper support and counsel. Although, when Tony told Steve this Steve gave him a hug and thanked him for trying to find a way to help his friend. That made things a little bit better between them. But it was still hard work.

So, needless to say, with all the work that needed to be done, Tony had turned into an antisocial, absolutely exhausted recluse. It wasn't that he wanted to. Tony liked being around small groups of people. He'd craved any sort of positive attention from the moment he was a kid and Howard had hit him for the first time. Sitting alone in his lab just stewing with his thoughts wasn't doing him any favours.

Sure, there had been a few attempts to get to know the team and become their friend, but they hadn't worked out well. Clint and Natasha took way too much stock in her personality profile despite it being done while he was scared and dying. They refused to see through his masks and get to know him. Bruce was his science bro so they had something at least. It didn't really translate into team bonding though. Thor, well, he liked everybody. He would hug Tony so tight that it made his chest ache for days after, but he still didn't really make an effort to get to know Tony. Maybe the others had said something to Thor. Now, Steve, Steve was an enigma. There were times when he seemed like he wanted to actually talk to Tony and then there were times when the shouting got so bad that Tony had to leave to get his emotions in check.

Tony really wanted to get along with Steve. He really did. He'd spent his whole childhood being told that he was nothing compared to Captain America and Tony wanted to do good in his eyes. Unfortunately, for some reason, Tony just rubbed Steve the wrong way. Tony wasn't sure what he did wrong. He tried to follow orders in battle unless there was a risk of someone dying because of something or other. Tony had more information in a fight because of JARVIS, he just wanted to make the right call and sometimes he didn't have time to explain what he was doing in a fight. But, this almost always made Steve mad. It was like Steve only saw Howard and was disappointed that Tony wasn't him.

What bothered Tony the most about everything that had happened was that he was just feeling worse all the time. Sure, he'd had diagnosed depression since he was a teenager, but he'd always held out hope that someday he'd get better. That all the pain and numbness would go away someday. Sure, Tony was on medication and that helped, but Tony was sick and tired of feeling like shit. Plus he'd also gotten diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and mild PTSD after the battle. It sucked.

There where some days where all Tony wanted was a hug and he couldn't even have that.

Nobody ever said it was easy being Tony Stark. He'd had a hard life from the moment he was born and no amount of money could change that. What also wasn't helping was the fact that JARVIS had been acting up since the Battle of New York. He'd given Tony a report from after the battle that pretty much said that during the same time that Cap was fighting Loki disguised as the man himself, there had been two Tony Starks in the tower which just wasn't possible. Tony had spent countless hours going through Jarvis's code trying to find the problem. It wasn't helping his already rocky sleep schedule.

Although, little did Tony know that things would finally be getting better. They just had to get a little worse first.

On a cold March afternoon, the load, blaring alarm went off throughout the personal floors of the tower letting the Avengers know that there was a call to assemble. Loki was out by central park making all the trees walk around like Ents from Lord of the Rings. With a plan set, the Avengers quickly made their way to where Loki was unknowing that their lives would change drastically in the next hour, especially Tony's. All they thought was that Loki was being annoying and needed to be taken down.

But who said that that would be an easy task.

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Well, guys, chapter 1 is did and done! I hope you liked it. This fic is one I'm excited about. Endgame gave us a whole new 2012 timeline to play around with and so many tropes we can use because Loki is out and about. This is gonna be totally awesome. I've got plans for this fic, let me tell you. I just know this'll be a good one. I'll be seeing you soon! -Shadows


	2. Loki'd

Hello, it's time for a new chapter. Sorry if it's a bit of a shorter one. I promise things will ramp up soon. I'll see you at the end.

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When the call to assemble went out, every member of the team scrambled to get ready. Despite the fact that they knew it was just Loki fucking with them, they needed to be prepared for anything. So, a plan was made and soon enough the team were heading out to Central Park to stop Loki and his hoard of walking trees. As the Avengers arrived at the scene that saw Loki sitting on top of a rock laughing as people scrambled about around him.

"Brother! Stop this madness!" commanded Thor as he charged forward.

"Yeah Reindeer Games, this is starting to get annoying." Quipped Tony and Steve shot him a dirty look as the two of them began fighting off the trees with the others while Thor tried to contain Loki.

Taking down the trees wasn't actually a very hard job all things considered. All they had to do was get them back into the ground than they would turn back into normal trees. The problem lay in the fact that full-grown trees are fucking huge and really only Tony and Hulk had the capacity to lift them without problems. So, in order to stop the trees, Tony and Hulk wrangled them while Steve used his shield as a makeshift shovel to make the holes a little bit bigger. Clint and Natasha worked on helping civilians and Thor struggled with Loki.

When Loki started to run out of trees to animate, he moved on to flowers and shrubs. The team was quick to act but Loki had succeeded in separating them. Steve and Clint had been surrounded by shrubbery, Natasha was trying to wade through the tide of flowers, and Thor was helping Hulk out with the last few trees. Unfortunately, that left Tony to deal with Loki.

Going toe to toe with Loki wasn't anything new for Tony. In most of their fights, Loki tried to single him out. The team figured that Loki had this weird infatuation with Tony because Tony had confronted him alone without the suit during the Battle of New York. Loki had always seemed more gleeful when he was fighting Tony and it honestly freaked everyone else out, Tony included.

But this fight, the one they were currently in, it felt different. Loki was actively trying to get Tony alone and separated from the others.

"Guys, I've got a lock on Loki. Some backup would be nice." Announced Tony over the coms as he stalked closer to Loki.

"We're a little preoccupied right now Stark. Do you think you can hold him until we can get there?" asked Natasha over the coms and Tony sighed. He so very rarely got back up when he asked for it and yet was expected to help everyone else even if he wasn't able to.

"Yeah yeah, I've got it. I'll keep Gandalf busy for a bit."

As Tony got closer to Loki, the god got up from his perch and actually walked closer to Tony. That should have been red flag number one that Loki was up to something nefarious. Loki never got close to any of the Avengers if he could help it. The fact that he was voluntarily getting closer to Tony was a big no-no.

"What are you playing at here Reindeer Games?" snarked Tony. Loki just laughed and got closer.

"I've been watching you Stark." Smirked Loki as he came face to face with Tony.

"Well, that's not creepy at all."

"Oh Stark, if only these foolish mortals could see you the same way I do. We're alike, you and I. Beings with many masks yet so broken inside. I can't wait to see all the brokenness unfold. I can't wait to see the world fall apart beneath your feet. You'll be in ruins when the world finds out that the Stark they know isn't the real one. If I take you down the other will follow."

Tony didn't even have time to respond before Loki raised his hand and shot Tony back in a blast of green light. Tony screamed in pain as his body felt like it was alight with fire. It was a deep ache all the way down in his bones. Tony could faintly hear shouting over the coms. He couldn't make out what it was. Some of it sounded like Steve yelling, but it was all faint and fuzzy like all the yelling was happening two rooms over from where he was.

Because of all the pain, Tony couldn't get control over his suit. He flew through the air only to hit his head against a large rock and blackout. The suit would have protected him from cracking his skull, but Tony was definitely not walking away from this without a concussion.

With Tony down and everyone else free from the plants holding them back, everyone rushed over to their fallen teammate while Thor went to go secure Loki. Securing Loki was surprisingly easy. It was almost like he wanted to be caught.

So, while Thor locked Loki's hands together, the others were quick to get to Tony's prone body. Steve kneeled at his side while Natasha tried to calm down Bruce. They didn't know if Tony would need a doctor or not. Nobody knew what Loki did and they wanted to be prepared.

"Stark! Can you hear me? Are you alright?" asked Steve as he got down on the ground.

"Cap, I think we need to get the suit off. He's not responding." Supplied Clint and Steve nodded.

The two got to work on removing the suit and they quickly realized that something was very wrong. They started with Tony's legs because that's where the easiest latches were. They noticed that Tony's pants were sitting a little bit looser and that he was looking a little bit shorter. Steve was quick to realize that Loki had done something and with Clint's help they removed the rest of the armour as fast as possible but were careful to avoid injury.

When they finally pulled the helmet off everyone sat in shock over what they saw. On the ground before them was Tony Stark they were sure of that. But it wasn't their Tony. On the ground and currently unconscious was a Tony Stark that looked exactly like he did back from 1988.

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What happened to Tony. Well, good old 2012 Loki tropes happened. Drop a comment and tell me what you think. I'll see you soon. -Shadows.


	3. Broken masks and shattered hearts

Yay! It's time for a new chapter. I think you'll like this one. I'll see you at the end.

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"Loki! What did you do?!" shouted Thor as everyone looked at the unconscious man before them.

"Oh, nothing. Just a simple spell I can assure you. Although, it's impossible to reverse." Stated Loki and Thor grabbed him by the throat.

"What. Did. You. Do?"

"I removed his masks. The man you thought of as Anthony Stark doesn't exist. And once you figure that out your empire will fall. As for his appearance, well, maybe now he'll act his age." Snarked Loki.

Thor ended up punching him so hard that he was knocked out right after the god had finished talking. Everybody else was just in shock. None of them really knew what Loki meant about removing Tony's masks. Well, Natasha had an inkling but nothing concrete. The one thing they did know was that they had to get Tony back to the tower and to medical before the media vultures arrived.

Steve was quick to pick Tony up and get him on the jet while everyone else followed. The whole ride back was silent. Nobody really had anything to say. They knew their new mission. The second the jet touched down back at the tower Thor was escorting the now barely conscious Loki down to the Hulk cage while everyone else filed into medical.

Steve gently deposited Tony on a bed and took a step back to allow Bruce to work. Bruce was quick to get Tony hooked up to various machines that told him various things. Everything was moving smoothly until Bruce rolled up Tony's left sleeve to get to the veins in his arm to insert an IV line.

Steve was the first one to notice that something was very wrong. There were some bandages on Tony's arm that covered him up to his elbow. They looked new. Steve suggested to Bruce that he should remove them to see what kind of injury it was. Bruce agreed and slowly cut away the bandages.

Everyone was in shock over what they uncovered. All along Tony's forearm were cuts. Some new and some old. It was haunting to look at. Clint and Nat just looked on in horror while Bruce set about cleaning and bandaging everything. Steve, well, Steve just felt guilty.

Steve was well aware that he hadn't been the best to Tony since the team had formed. He'd looked at the man expecting to see Howard and was frustrated when he got the smart-mouthed genius currently passed out in front of him. He and Tony constantly butted heads and Tony hardly ever participated in any team bonding. He was always down in his lab. And when he did come up he was always tired and in a bad mood.

Now come to think of it, maybe Tony was tired because he just didn't have the time to sleep. There was always some new thing for the team, for SHIELD, or for SI. And that was when the guilt really set in for Steve. If he'd been a better leader and had paid any amount of attention to his teammates, he would have seen how lonely Tony must have been feeling. He would have seen how exhausted he was. He would have been about to do something before they got to this point.

But they were here now and Steve knew he would do anything to fix this.

After about an hour of sitting and waiting, Tony began to stir. He was quiet at first. Nobody heard him but Steve due to his enhanced hearing. Everyone was at the man's side in seconds to make sure that he was alright and that the Tony in front of them was really their Tony. When Tony slowly blinked open his eyes, Steve was the first to speak up.

"You took quite the hit out there Tony. You feeling alright?"

Tony frowned at the fact that Steve had just called him Tony and not Stark but brushed it off. Maybe Steve was just concerned and had a momentary lapse in judgment.

"My head hurts quite a bit, same with my arm. And my bones ache." Tony's eye's widened. That was not at all what he wanted to say. He was just going to lie but he found that he just couldn't.

"That's not what I was going to say. Guys… what happened? I remember Loki hit me with some sort of spell and that's about it." Asked Tony and all the others looked at him with a mixture of relief and concern.

"Well, at least we have confirmation that he kept all his memories." Muttered Natasha but Tony still heard her.

"What the hell happened to me?"

"Tony's it's better you see for yourself." Grimaced Bruce as he walked over to Tony with a small hand mirror.

Tony took the mirror in hand and gasped the second he saw his face. It was his face looking back at him, but it was also a face he hadn't seen in a very long time. He looked like he was 18 again. Tony touched his face where his iconic facial hair used to be. He hadn't figured out how to actually trim nice facial hair until he was around 25 so at 18 he'd just shaved everything off. Tony just sat there in shock for a second until he tore his eyes away from his face to look at the rest of his body.

Tony could already tell that he was shorter then he had been. He hadn't hit his last growth-spirt until he was 21, so Tony knew he was sitting around 5 foot 6 inches without his lifts on. He was already the smallest guy on the team without the lifts and this just made his even shorter. But what was throwing Tony off the most was his arm. Well, his left arm to be exact. He'd hit a bit of a low point the past couple of days and all he hoped for was that the other's hadn't seen what he'd done.

Tony looked down at his arm to see if things had changed and his heart sunk when he saw that the bandages had been changed. That was when he began to panic. His breathing sped up and his hands became very shaky as he tried in vain to calm down. It didn't work. Nothing Tony tried ever worked. But, to be fair, Tony had never really gotten to the point of finding healthy coping mechanisms.

As Tony continued to panic the team watched on in horror as he began muttering to himself and crying. None of them had ever seen Tony cry before. Tony and crying just wasn't heard of. It didn't take too long for things to get frantic. Tony looked absolutely terrified, both by what had happened and by his own behaviour. It was like every emotion that Tony normally held on the inside was now displayed for the whole world to see.

As Tony's cries got more frantic Steve had had enough. He couldn't just stand there and watch his teammate cry in distress. It was clear that nobody else was going to do anything so Steve did the only thing he could think of. He went over to the bed Tony was on and pulled the now young man into a hug.

Tony practically buried himself in Steve's arms looking for any kind of comfort he could. Just by his actions, Steve could tell that Tony hadn't received any kind of affection if a long time. And that struck Steve as odd. As far as he knew, Tony was still dating Pepper. Sure, he hadn't seen Pepper around the tower in a little while… and now thinking about it Tony had been acting odd since they all moved in almost a year ago. He was standoffish and generally upset, but he seemed to cling to any kind of positive interaction like a dog would a bone. He seemed alright when Pepper was around but looking back on that those instances seemed few and far between. It was almost like Tony and Pepper had broken up.

Maybe Steve had seriously misunderstood what Tony was going through.

Steve shook all the thoughts from his head. He couldn't dwell on anything like that right now. Tony was freaking out and he needed to know that he was safe and alright. So, Steve sat on the bed with Tony in his arms. He rocked slowly side to side while offering whatever reassurances he could. Tony was slowly starting to calm down a bit, but his heart rate was still too high and with the arc reactor in that was dangerous if it was prolonged.

"Cap, I'm going to go prepare a sedative. We can't let this continue of for much longer. I need you to calm him down a little bit more so he won't fight the needle." Instructed Bruce and Steve nodded. He could do that. He could help calm Tony down just a little bit more.

"Hey, hey. Tony. Tony. Anthony! Just focus on my breathing alright?" Tony nodded a bit and Steve noticed that Tony actually seemed to calm a little bit more when he was called Anthony. In any other situation, Steve would have found that cute.

As Bruce approached with the needle, Steve felt Tony tense up. It wasn't completely out of the realm for Tony to be scared of needles. Hell, Steve was a human science experiment and even he hated needles. Steve couldn't fault Tony's behaviour at all. Steve just held him close and made sure that his arm was still for Bruce.

When Bruce stuck the needle into Tony's arm, he whimpered. He honest to god whimpered and it broke everyone's hearts. It took a minute, but soon enough Tony's breathing had evened out and he'd fallen asleep. Steve gently eased Tony down and made sure that he was comfortable on the hospital bed before he stepped back and looked at the other members of his team.

"Um… what the hell was that?" Asked Clint as he looked over at Tony.

"I think that was exactly like Loki said. Loki said that he'd removed his masks. He couldn't lie to us and he couldn't hide his emotions. It's exactly like Loki wanted." Spoke Steve, still a little shaken over what had just happened.

"I'm going to give Pepper and Rhodey a call. They'd know best how to handle Tony." Commented Bruce before he took his leave.

"Steve, the rest of us are going to go wash up and see if Thor is done with Loki. You coming?" asked Natasha and Steve shook his head.

"I'm not leaving him. I know what it's like to wake up alone when everything's changed. I don't want anyone to suffer like it did."

Natasha just nodded her head and walked out of the room leaving Steve and Tony there alone. Steve walked around Tony's bed so that he could sit in the old threadbare brown chair next to the bed. Just sitting there gave Steve time to think. He realized that he hadn't been the nicest person to Tony over the past year. And really, that was actually mostly Steve's fault. He hadn't taken the time to try to get to know the genius like he had the other members of the Avengers. The Tony he'd seen today seemed sweet and confused and more touch-starved then much else.

Speaking of Tony, as Steve took his watch over the young man he noticed things. He noticed how fluffy and curly Tony's hair was. He noticed how much smaller Tony was compared to him. And earlier he'd noticed just how big and doe-eyed Tony's eyes were. Honestly, Steve was attracted to Tony. He'd been somewhat attracted to him even before this all happened. That was one thing Steve actually really liked about being in the future, his bisexuality no longer had to be hidden and he could be with another man if he wanted too. Even if that other man was Tony Stark.

Steve tried to keep all those thoughts out of his head. Now wasn't the time to catch feelings. Now was the time to make things right. Now was the time to give Tony the comfort he'd obviously been seeking. Now was the time to keep their teammate safe and to prove to Loki that this wouldn't end the team, but only make them stronger.

Love could come later.

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Hey guys. I hope you liked this one. If you haven't guessed already, I've been prewriting all these chapters so I can upload on a schedule (sort of). That way I don't feel rushed. Now, as for this chapter, you can probably guess that Stony is going to happen pretty soon. I just love protective Steve. He's a sweet bean. Well. I'll see you soon. -Shadows


	4. Rhodey to the rescue

Oh look! It's time for a new chapter. I hope you enjoy this one. We have a little bit more plot for you all. I'll see you at the end.

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Once the rest of the team, with the exception of Steve, had left Tony's room, Bruce was quick to get on a group chat with Pepper Potts and Colonel James Rhodes. The others were all getting cleaned off so Bruce was happy that he didn't have to deal with everyone else making noise and trying to talk over each other while Bruce tried to type. He found that when he was texting he couldn't focus on his words.

Banner: Potts, Rhodes. You may want to come to the tower as soon as you can. Somethings happened to Tony.

Rhodes: What did the idiot do now?"

Banner: We got in a fight with Loki and he took a big hit.

Potts: Is he alright?

Banner: Physically more or less. He has some cuts and bruises and a mild concussion. It's the spell that Loki placed on him that's the problem.

Rhodey: What kind of spell are we talking about here?

Banner: Loki placed a permanent spell on him so now he's been turned back into an 18-year-old. He still has all his memories but he's also being overly emotional.

Rhodes: I'll be there in an hour if I take my suit.

Banner: Great. Ms. Potts, how soon can you make it?

Potts: I don't think I'll be able too for a good two weeks. I'm in Paris for a conference and I need to be here.

Banner: But what about Tony? You're his girlfriend. Shouldn't you be there for him?

Potts: Of course the idiot didn't tell anyone. Tony and I broke up a couple of weeks after the Battle of New York. We're still friends, but it's been a little bit awkward. I don't know if he'd want me there. I can work on running damage control but unless he says he wants me there I don't think that's a good idea.

Banner: Alright. I'll keep you posted. Rhodes, have JARVIS let us know when you get here. We'll all be down in medical.

With that Bruce put down his phone and went to go find everyone else. Clint and Natasha were just finishing getting dressed and Thor was in the living room. Loki was all locked up and nobody was particularly worried about him escaping. After about 10 minutes everyone with the exception of Steve and Tony were gathered together.

"Alright, here's what's happening. I talked to Rhodes and Ms. Potts. Rhodes is on his way and should be here in about an hour. He's known Tony the longest." Began Bruce once everyone was seated.

"And what about Pepper?" asked Natasha.

"Tony and Pepper broke up almost a years ago. She won't be coming unless absolutely necessary."

Well, that was news for everyone. And to be honest, they all felt pretty bad hearing it. The fact that they didn't know something pretty important was huge. Tony had probably been hurting because of the breakup and the poor man had, for the most part, been all by himself dealing with the fallout.

Everyone soon got up and went to go join Steve back down in medical with Tony. They filled Steve in on what new information they had learned and passed out a few snacks. From there it was just a waiting game. They sat there and did the mission debrief while that waited for Rhodey to arrive.

They were alerted to the Colonel's presence the second he arrived at the tower. It was only a couple of minutes before the man himself had joined the others in the room.

"What are you guys all doing here?" asked Rhodey and all eyes in the room turned to him.

"We didn't want him to be alone when he woke up." Was all Steve said and Rhodey just nodded.

That was when Tony started to wake up. It was like he heard his brother's voice and it brought the poor man out of his slumber. Everyone started to get out of the way so that Rhodey could get closer to Tony. Well, everyone but Steve. Steve stayed in his chair and nobody really had the heart to make him move.

"Hey there Tones. Looks like you got a touch of magic. That really sucks." Smiled Rhodey and Tony quickly sat up and hugged his friend.

"When did you get here? I thought you were getting ready for a mission." Mumbled Tony, his face smooshed into Rhodey's chest.

"Well, my best friend went and got himself turned back into an 18-year-old so I knew I had to be here. There are other pilots who can fly the scouting mission. There's only one of you Tones and I want to be here for you."

Tony smiled a bit in Rhodey's arms. It was a warm smile the lightened the atmosphere of the room. But, there was something deep and ugly rearing it's head inside Steve. He felt jealous. Tony was smiling because of Rhodey. Steve wanted Tony to smile because of him.

Steve just kept those thoughts to himself. This wasn't the time to dwell on things that would ultimately lead to fighting. He took the initiative to lead the others out of the room so that Tony and Rhodey could talk. Bruce was the only one who stayed behind and that was for medical reasons.

Steve, Thor, Clint, and Natasha made their way up to the common room. It was easier to sit there and grab a few snacks then to mill around outside medical. None of them had any idea how long things would take so they agreed to all stay in one place until they got some answers.

About an hour after Rhodey arrived, he and Bruce were back upstairs with the rest of the team.

"How's Tony doing?" asked Steve once he saw the other men entering the room.

"He's sleeping for now. He's scared, but that was expected. Who wouldn't be scared in his situation." Responded Rhodey as he took a seat along with everyone else. "Bruce is going to get him on a new medication schedule. No doubt that this whole thing has messed that up royally."

"Wait… Stark's on medication? Medication for what?" asked Clint and everyone nodded.

"Yeah. He had meds for chronic pain, depression, and anxiety. How did you guys not know this? I thought you were supposed to be a team." Asked a skeptical Rhodey and the Avengers felt guilty. Steve especially.

"We don't really see him that much. He mostly kept to himself in his lab." Muttered Steve and he just knew that Rhodey was going to get mad at them. He could feel it.

"Guys, Tony has depression. You can't just leave him alone. If he's left alone for too long he gets self-destructive. It's been even worse since he and Pepper broke up. He may come across as an asshole but that's not who he is." Shouted Rhodey and everyone looked down in shame.

"Look, guys. Tony's had a really hard life. You may think it's been all sunshine and daisies but it hasn't. I'm not going to tell you what's all happened. That's Tony's decision on whether or not he wants to say anything. All I want from you guys is to treat him with care. With everything that's just happened with Loki, it may feel like you're dealing with a whole different person. The Tony you're going to be working with is the Tony's I've known for ages, not the man covered in masks and lies. He's going to cry more. He's going to try to hide how much pain he's in. He's going to get clingy. Now, I can't be here for him all the time so I need to know that none of you are going to fuck my little brother up any further." Explained Rhodey and everyone just sort of sat there in shock.

It was odd, learning that the Tony that they and the public saw wasn't really the real Tony Stark. The man they'd gotten to know had so many layers of masks and trauma that even the Black Widow herself wasn't able to get an accurate read on him when she was putting together the personality profile back when he was dying of palladium poisoning. They would all be working harder going forward to actually get to know their teammate to better protect each other.

Rhodey soon took his leave to go be with Tony. Everyone else just sort of scattered. Thor and Clint went to go make sure that Loki was secured, Bruce went to go meditate, and Natasha went to go work out. Steve, well he wasn't too sure what to do. He was feeling all these conflicting emotions about Tony that he knew he needed to work through.

Steve ended up just going back to his room. It was quiet there with a nice view of the city. When Tony had designed the personal floors for the Avengers, he'd put tonnes of thought into every last detail. Steve had thanked Tony when he'd seen his space. Of course, he had. He was raised right after all. He wouldn't want to disappoint his mama. But looking at the space now, after learning the things he knew now, it made everything different. The large window was placed just perfectly to get the best view and the best shading at every part of the day. The art supplies Steve had were top of the line and always in great condition. The bed wasn't too soft like Tony knew that after the army Steve wouldn't want a super soft bed. Every little detail was meticulous.

And Steve had begun to take it all for granted.

Steve knew he had to fix things with Tony. He knew he had to help where he could. Rhodey couldn't stick around forever and Steve was more than willing to step up to the plate to help. He was the team leader. He should have realized that there was something wrong with Tony months ago. He needed to rectify this. ALL of this.

Rhodey stuck around for a couple more days after he arrived. He'd mostly stuck to staying with Tony in medical. The poor man wasn't allowed to leave yet because of the concussion and cuts. They needed to make sure all the medication he was on was working well enough so that Tony could focus on healing.

When Rhodey left because he got called back to base, however, that was when shit went down.

Rhodey hadn't even been gone for an entire day when Loki somehow managed to break out of his containment. One minute he was there and the next he was gone. There wasn't a sign of him anywhere. Everyone was frantically looking for him and Steve was making sure to command his team so that the work was done efficiently. It was hard working without Tony, but he was still on bed rest and Steve wasn't about to jeopardize his health even further.

About five hours after Loki disappeared into the wind the team had hit a dead end. Thor was out looking and there was only so much everyone else could do. So, Steve dismissed the team to go clean up before the debrief when Thor got back. In that time, Steve took the opportunity to go check up on Tony down in medical.

What he saw when he entered the room surprised him.

Tony was there on his bed with multiple tablets looking frantic as fuck. There was a manic look in his eyes as he muttered to himself and switched between tablets. His movements were shaky and Tony honestly looked both scared and utterly exhausted.

"Tony, what are you doing? You should be resting." Spoke Steve as he walked over and plucked one of the tablets out of Tony's hands.

"Hey! Give that back! I've got work to do!" Shouted Tony, but Steve shook his head.

"You should be resting."

"I can rest when I'm dead. I've got to figure out this Loki situation so if we get him again he can't get out. I've got work I need to do for SI because we have a product launch in a week, and Clint needs new arrows and Nat broke her widow bites so I need to make new ones. It doesn't matter how tired I am. The work needs to be done." Huffed Tony as he reached for another tablet and began frantically typing something that looked like Greek to Steve's eyes.

"Tony. Your health matters. You need rest until your concussion heals." Reprimanded Steve as he took a seat on the bed next to Tony.

"No, it doesn't matter. There's work that needs to be done and there's no time for me to be weak and selfish about this." Steve looked appalled at what Tony had just said. The words seemed so rehearsed that it was definitely something that he had learned young.

"Tony… do you think that taking time to heal after a traumatic experience is selfish? Because it's not. Tony, you need to rest. This isn't the first time Loki has broken out of containment and it won't be the last. We can learn from our mistakes and move forward. For you, that means resting and recuperating." Spoke Steve in a commanding yet soothing Tony. He didn't want to freak Tony out when it was obvious that he was already running on nothing but spite.

"But… but… I need… I need to finish. I have to finish. Bad things happen if I don't finish." Stuttered Tony as his hands shook even more and tears began to fall.

Steve proceeded to move all the tablets to a bedside table and pull Tony into a hug. That was when Tony really started crying. It broke Steve's heart. All the things Tony had just said, those were things he'd learned young. Who in their right mind had made Tony think that? Was it this Stane guy that Steve had read in Tony's file? Was is an old teacher? Was it maybe… Howard Stark? Steve didn't want to make any assumptions, but the thought that Tony constantly overworked himself because he thought bad things would happen if he took a break was just horrible. That explained a whole lot why Tony hardly ever socialized and was always working in his lab. That behaviour would need to be fixed. It just wasn't healthy.

After about a half-hour of crying, Tony eventually cried himself to sleep. Steve had just held him the whole time. He wasn't going to leave Tony when he was needed. The whole time Steve just ran soothing hands up and down Tony's back and tried his best to make soothing noises in an effort to get Tony to calm down and rest. And it had worked.

As Steve gently laid Tony down he made sure that he was nice and warm underneath the blankets. Medical was cold and he didn't want Tony getting sick when he was already down. Steve watched Tony for a moment and thought back to what Rhodey had said. About how Tony shouldn't be left alone for too long and how he'd need the support of his team. He wasn't going to break his word. Tony was an Avenger and the more Steve talked to him he started falling just a little bit more every time. He was going to help Tony. He was going to keep him healthy and safe when they weren't in battle. They were going to get closer as a team and Steve was going to fix all of this. And, looking at the tears glistening on Tony's long lashes, Steve knew he was moving in the right direction. A direction of healing… for everyone.

* * *

So… what do you think. I quite like this chapter. Tony and Steve are slowly getting closer, Rhodey is the best bro, and the road to healing is beginning. Also, no shade to Pepper. I love her to bits. She's the first lady of the MCU after all. It's just with the breakup and all the tension she didn't feel like this was her place. If you've ever been in a breakup like this you'll get it. Well, I'll see you soon! -Shadows


	5. The sins of the father

Wazzup! It's time for a new chapter. This one has some more tears and cuddles. I hope you enjoy it. I'll see you at the end.

* * *

Two days after Loki escaped, Tony was finally released from medical with strict instructions to relax and keep up with his medication. The whole team was there to greet him when he got up to the common floor. Tony just sheepishly waved and went to go sit down on the sofa. They decided to take it easy that night and just have a team dinner and watch a movie.

Natasha made dinner that night. It was her turn anyways. She made some Russian dish that everyone really enjoyed. When it came to the movie, they let Tony pick. They were all scared that Tony would try to lie and tell them that he didn't care and that one of them could pick. He didn't. Tony ended up picking Red Dawn and that seemed to be a big hit with everyone in the room. Both Tony and Clint had an affinity for action films so neither ever argued about the movies they picked.

Steve ended up sitting on the sofa right next to Tony. He wanted to make sure that everything was alright and that also had the added bonus of just being close to Tony in general. Steve just knew he was going to fall hard for Tony as he got to know him even better but satisfying that little part of him now was going to be hard. Tony deserved to heal without having to worry about new relationships and Steve's issues on top of his own.

Tony ended up falling asleep halfway through the movie. His head fell onto Steve's lap and he had to repress a smirk when Thor looked over at the scene. He ended up carrying Tony back to his room later that night so as not to wake Tony up.

The next few days followed in a similar pattern. Steve would try to get Tony to socialize a little bit as per his orders and Tony would try to get away for a bit. Most of the time, Tony would try to hide away in his lab. There was a time when Tony tried to lock everyone else out, but because JARVIS was given orders to keep Tony healthy and with other people, Steve was able to get in and get Tony to eat lunch. He didn't force Tony to leave the lab to eat like Tony thought he would. No, Steve just showed up with food and made sure Tony didn't overwork himself. Often, he would bring down his art stuff to work on.

It was oddly domestic and both parties enjoyed the feeling.

One thing that drove everyone crazy was trying to figure out what Tony could and could not do now that he was essentially 18 and devoid of the protective masks he'd made throughout his life. The first thing they tested was if Tony could lie. Back in medical Tony wasn't able to lie about how he was feeling and if he was hurting. They needed to know if Tony could lie at all. He was a businessman after all and that was how he got through gala's and made deals with others. Tony needed to be able to lie so he wasn't spilling secrets.

They tested out whether Tony could lie at all by asking non-invasive and invasive questions.

"Alright Tony, you ready?" asked Bruce once the team had gathered in the kitchen. Tony nodded and Bruce got ready.

"Ok, I'm going to ask you things, hold up objects and whatnot, and all you need to do is lie to us." Tony nodded once more and they got started.

"Ok Tony, what's 4x4?" asked Bruce. They wanted to start easy before ramping it up.

"44." Answered Tony. Alright, so he could lie. Now they just had to figure out what he could lie about.

The questioning went on for an hour and by the end, everyone was frustrated and near tears but the finally had an answer. Tony could lie. He could lie about everything as long as it wasn't about how he was feeling and whether or not he was hurt or uncomfortable. That could prove a bit tricky for press conferences if Tony took a hit or was just not feeling well, but that was what being on a team was for. To watch out for each other.

After another week, Steve found that he was spending almost all of his free time with Tony, and honestly, that really wasn't a problem. Steve found that hanging around in the lab with Tony actually helped him acclimate better to living in the future. Plus, seeing how excited Tony often got about his work while explaining it to Steve was frankly adorable.

Although the peace couldn't last forever.

One night, while Tony was introducing Steve to the wonders of Star Trek, Steve decided to strike up a conversation. He loved talking to Tony. He was so cute when he got excited about things and what everyone had discovered as of late was that Tony loved cuddles but was always scared to ask. So, Steve sat a little bit closer and began talking.

At first, it was innocent. They talked about trivial things such as some new things Tony wanted to make and some of the new pieces of art Steve had created. Everything was going great until Steve brought up… Him.

"You know Tony, how come you never talk about your father? He was a friend of mine during the war you know. I've looked through some of the old footage and SHIELD files but you knew him best." Spoke Steve.

That was when Tony got oddly silent. Steve looked over and saw that Tony had curled in on himself and looked about five seconds away from crying.

"Please don't," whispered Tony and Steve almost didn't hear him. "Please don't mention that monster."

Monster. That had Steve confused. When he'd met Howard Stark back during the war he seemed like a nice person. Sure, there were times when the man seemed like a bit of an asshole. Could Howard have really changed that much since Steve had known him?

"Tony… what happened?" asked Steve. He knew this was a bit invasive. He knew that Tony couldn't lie about something like this. But he needed to know. He needed to know if Tony was ok. He just… needed to know.

And Tony spilled it all.

"He was a monster. He used to beat me and my mom. The public never found out of course. He paid off a lot of doctors to keep all my injuries a secret. He used to force me to drink alcohol when I was just a kid. He's why I have alcohol problems. He would hand me hot and sharp things down in his workshop and now my hands are covered in scars. He shipped me off to boarding school as soon as he could. Never mind that I was five and already halfway through elementary school. He always compared me to you. He wanted another Captain America, not his worthless excuse of a son. He didn't care. Sometimes he wouldn't let me eat if I was bad. I'm so worthless. He was right. I'm so so so worthless."

The whole time Tony was talking, tears were streaming down his face. As Tony told his story, Steve's eyes became dangerous. He knew the words Tony spoke were true and his heart broke for the man next to him. And he was angry, so, so, angry. Tony had been hurt so horribly over the course of his life and all Steve wanted to do was take away the pain. Unfortunately, though, his face only really betrayed his anger.

"I'm sorry." Sobbed Tony. "He was your friend. I shouldn't have told you any of that."

And with that Tony got up and ran. Steve just sat there gobsmacked over what had just happened. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard, but it explained so much about Tony's behaviour.

Steve knew almost instantly what had happened to make Tony run. Steve was angry over Howard, but all Tony saw was the anger. Naturally, in his mind, he thought that Steve was angry at him. Tony had been so broken down over the years, blamed for anything and everything, that, of course, he thought that Steve's anger was his fault. It wasn't his fault and Steve was feeling stupidly guilty over everything. He needed to comfort Tony and make things right. So, he did the only thing he could think of.

He ran after him.

* * *

Hey there! I hope you liked this chapter. Now, about Steve. Should he have asked Tony what had happened knowing he can't lie? No. But, Steve isn't some perfect soldier. He's going to make mistakes. It's how he is going to own up to them in this fic that makes him a good man. Mistakes happen and we all know that Steve here would do anything to make things right with our Tony. I'll see you soon. -Shadows


	6. Kitten

It's about time for a new chapter don't'cha think? This one answers where the fuck Tony went at the end of the last chapter. I'll see you at the end.

* * *

It didn't take very long for Steve to find Tony. They knew all his hiding spots at this point and JARVIS had informed Steve that Tony hadn't left the tower. So, Steve started to make his way down to the lab. And he'd almost made it there, if not for getting distracted.

As Steve rounded the corner after getting out of the elevator he heard the sound of heart-wrenching sobs. There, in a tiny little alcove in the wall was Tony. He was curled in on himself and he looked absolutely miserable. Steve didn't even think. He instantly knelt down at Tony's side and put a hand on his shoulder to let Tony know he was there. Tony flinched back a little but didn't outright refuse the contact. Steve took that as his queue that he could pull Tony into a hug.

Steve sat down on the ground and pulled Tony onto his lap. Tony just burrowed his face into Steve's chest and continued to cry as Steve gently rocked them back and forth. Steve knew that if Tony was this hysterical and upset that he wouldn't listen to what Steve had to say, so all he could do was comfort Tony until he calmed down.

They sat there for a long time. Steve just kept murmuring soothing words and offering comforting touches until Tony finally calmed down enough to at least listen to what Steve had to say. Steve wanted Tony to know that the anger Steve was feeling wasn't because of him. Steve hated bullies, and it turned out that Howard Stark became one of the biggest of them all.

"Have you calmed down a bit now Anthony?" asked Steve. Like with back in medical, Tony seemed to just sink into Steve's arms when he used his full name. Tony nodded and Steve took that opportunity to begin talking.

"I'm not mad at you alright. I'm not mad at you. I know that's what you're thinking but it's not true. I'm not mad at you Anthony." Started Steve but Tony just shook his head and curled in closer.

"I'm sorry." Came the fearful whisper and Steve's heart broke.

"Don't you dare say you're sorry Tony. You've done nothing wrong."

"But he was your friend, and I ruined that for you." Came a more panicked reply and Steve just countered by having Tony snuggle in closer.

"No Tony. Not anymore. He hurt you. He hurt you and I wasn't there to protect you. He's nothing but a bully and a monster. And Anthony, you're not worthless. You are so so good. It's my fault for not seeing it before. You are so good. You are so brave. You survived all of that. You've survived so much. You don't need to be alone anymore. I'm gonna keep you safe with me Anthony. Gonna keep you safe with me Sweetheart." Whispered Steve.

Now, Steve wasn't sure where the endearment came from. All he knew was that it felt right. He was going to keep Tony safe with him. He wasn't going to let the world continue to break him. Steve leant his head down and rested his cheek over Tony's fluffy hair. All he wanted to do was run his fingers through it while the snuggled in close. And that was the moment Steve knew he was well and truly screwed. He was in love with Tony Stark. It had been building for a while, since before Loki and his stupid spell, but getting to know Tony even better this past couple of weeks just had Steve falling deeper and deeper in love. But, before Steve could dwell on his thought any longer, he was pulled back by Tony starting to cry out anew.

"All I ever wanted was a family. To be loved. Why is that so impossible for me to have?" cried Tony and Steve hugged him closer.

"You have us now Tony. You have us and I'm not going to leave you. The Avengers, everyone, you're stuck with us. I'm going to make sure we become a stronger team. That we work better together and have each other's backs. No one is going to be left behind or left out." Soothed Steve. The affirmation was just as much for him as it was for Tony. The Avengers would never leave one of their own behind to suffer in silence. Not anymore.

Tony just nodded along to what Steve was saying. Steve looked down and saw that Tony's big brown eyes were beginning to droop. All the emotional turmoil must have tired him out. Steve couldn't really blame him. He was feeling tired himself and the thought of a small nap was sounding more and more appealing. So, Steve stood up and scooped Tony into his arms. Tony just held on tight and fisted his hands in Steve's shirt. Steve noticed this and spoke to Tony with gentle words.

"Tony, you need to let go. We should really get you back to your room." Tony just shook his head and looked scared.

"Too empty."

"Do you wanna stay with me in my room?" asked Steve. The question he posed surprised him but he didn't want Tony to feel alone and scared in that big room of him. Plus Steve knew that if he was with someone while he slept then the cold of the arctic was less likely to seep into his bones.

Luckily, Tony said yes and soon enough Steve was removing both their shoes and preparing to curl up on the bed.

By the time Steve had laid himself and Tony down on his bed, Tony had already fallen asleep. He subconsciously curled up at Steve's side and Steve wrapped his left arm around the smaller man. Tony really was small compared to him. Almost like a little kitten. After Loki's spell, Tony had lost 2 inches because his 18-year-old self hadn't hit that last growth spurt. Tony had been mad about that, but Steve secretly loved how small Tony was. His height paired with the fluffy hair and big brown doe eyes always made Steve want to just pick him up and never let go.

It made Steve sad to think about how he and the rest of the god damn world seemed to have dismissed all of Tony's pain throughout his life. Steve could clearly see it all now. Tony's eyes were extremely expressive. It was amazing that Steve had even fallen for the masks in the first place. Steve hated the masks now that he knew what he knew. If the world hadn't have been such vultures, just waiting around for Tony to mess up so they could swoop in and finish the kill then maybe Tony wouldn't have needed to hide in the first place.

But this Tony, the REAL Tony. That was the Tony that Steve was falling in love with. Not the man-made for the media, but the man behind the masks who just wanted to be loved.

* * *

So, what did y'all think? I hope you liked it. Also, Steve is falling in love! Both he and Tony deserve to be happy so I can't wait to make that happen. Also, I'm thinking of making a playlist for this fic like I have with the others. Let me know what you think. I'll see you soon! -Shadows


	7. Under pressure

Oh goodie! It's time for a new chapter. Not much to say here so I'll see you at the end.

* * *

After Tony's breakdown and Steve's revelation, the two started to spend more and more time together. It actually made both of them calmer on a day to day basis. Steve spent almost all of his free time with Tony. Whether it was down in the lab or watching a movie together. And they touched a lot more. There was always some sort of touching. It was actually grounding for both of them. It also had the added benefit of sometimes making Tony blush. Steve just couldn't get enough.

Tony and Steve also slowly began to share a bed at night. It wasn't anything sexual. (Although Steve was waiting patiently for the day it WAS.) It was just more comforting for the two of them to sleep side by side. Steve no longer felt the chill of the arctic water as he tried to sleep and Tony had someone to try and keep the nightmares at bay. They both understood each other. They understood the struggles that came with being heroes and having a difficult life.

The downside to all of this was that it didn't take very long for the other members of the team to realize what was happening. And that was when the teasing started. It was mostly by Clint and Natasha and it was never directed at Tony. It was all in good fun but still, having Natasha bug him about his love life was a bit unnerving.

"So… what's going on with you and Stark?" asked Natasha one day out of the blue while Steve was making some lunch to bring down to the lab where he and Tony were working.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do. I've seen how you are with him. We all have. You're good for each other. So, when are you going to make a move?" Steve just sighed and shook his head in defeat. There was no use trying to hide things from Natasha.

"He's not ready for that kind of stuff yet. He's still jumpy and uncomfortable. I want Tony to feel safe before I spring any of this on him."

"Well, don't wait too long. The tension is going to kill someone at some point."

Steve wasn't really sure how to respond. And he didn't really have the chance to. Just as quickly as she appeared, Natasha was gone. Steve just shrugged and went to go bring the food back down to the lab.

UMTB

A week later, after almost two weeks of not waking up alone, Tony woke up alone. He was still in Steve's bed, but he was all alone. Tony just sighed dejectedly. It was only a matter of time before people got tired of him. The comfort was nice while it lasted. Tony slowly got out of bed, savouring the last moments of warmth and the subtle scent that Steve had left behind, before making his way to the bathroom.

The whole time, Tony's mind kept wandering back to Steve. He wasn't ashamed to say that he had a crush on the man. Hell, it was the old Captain America poster that Howard had in his workshop that made Tony realize that he was bi back when he was 13. But, in Tony's mind, he knew that nothing would ever come from that crush. He was impossible to love and he'd always screw it up in the end. It was better to keep quiet and to himself.

Tony finished getting ready for the day with the clothes he had slowly begun accumulating in Steve's room and headed out the door to go hide in the lab. He didn't need any more problems today. But just as Tony opened the door to head down, he noticed that the hallway was covered in sticky notes. At first Tony was just going to ignore then. There was no way possible that these were for him. But, as Tony got closer to them he found that they all had his name on them with arrows pointing towards a destination. Fuelled by curiosity, Tony began to follow the sticky notes. He soon figured out that they were leading to the living room.

As Tony rounded the corner he could hear a smattering of giggles coming from Clint as well as some other sounds that clearly came from Thor. But, when Tony looked around the room he couldn't see them. Actually, it was a little bit hard to see anything with all the lights off.

"JARVIS. Can you turn on the lights?" asked Tony.

The second the lights turned on he was face to face with the other Avengers all with huge smiled on their faces.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" came the exuberant shouts of everyone in the room. Tony looked on in surprise before a few tears dared to fall from his eyes. Steve noticed this and ran over to pull Tony into a hug.

"I didn't think you guys would care." Whispered Tony and Steve just held on tighter.

"Of course we care Tony. It's your birthday. We want to celebrate with you." Smiled Steve and Tony held a little watery smile of his own.

"Also, since your little de-ageing thing with Loki we couldn't decide if this should be your 43rd birthday or your 19th so we just did what we did with Cap. So, Happy 19th Birthday Tones!" smiled Clint as he joined in on the hug.

Soon enough everyone had joined in on one giant group hug. Tony had never felt so loved. Sure, he'd had some good birthdays before. Like the one when he turned 5 and Jarvis and Ana had gotten him a stuffed bear that he'd managed to hide from Howard for 5 whole years. Or the time at MIT when Mama Rhodes had invited him to spend the time with her and Rhodey. He'd had his first real birthday cake that year. But this, this was amazing. Almost everyone he cared about was there because they wanted to spend time with Tony.

The team didn't really get Tony any presents, but Tony didn't want any to begin with. They did make some donations to the Maria Stark Foundation and Tony loved the gesture. There was a cake that Bruce had made, there were games and movies and honestly, Tony was feeling on top of the world. Everything was perfect.

And, once bedtime rolled around, and both Tony and Steve had retreated into what was not essentially their room, Tony was met with one last surprise for the day.

"I know there was sort of an unspoken agreement not to get you any presents because you'd think it was awkward, but I just couldn't help myself." Smiled Steve as he handed Tony a small box with an ostentatious pink bow.

Tony looked at the box a little skeptically before he slowly removed the bow and opened the box. Inside was a flat head screwdriver the same as he used for all his major projects, but this one was unique. It had a red and gold handle with the phrase Avengers Assemble embossed on the side. It was beautiful.

"It's beautiful. Thank you." Whispered Tony. He was still in a little bit of shock over the gesture.

"It's no problem, Tony. You deserve it. I like seeing you happy." Smiled Steve as he gave Tony a quick hug.

They slowly stepped apart and got ready for bed. Since Tony and Steve had begun sharing a room Tony actually found that he was sleeping more regularly. He hadn't had a late-night lab binge since Loki hit him with his spell. Tony was actually healthier in general. He was eating better thanks to Steve noticing that he tended to forget when his brain was working in a million different directions. He was sleeping better thanks to having a cuddle buddy. And to top it all off, Tony had been 100% sober since Loki happened. Sure, Tony had been working towards sobriety for a while. He hadn't quit cold turkey because he knew it would mess with some of his medications. But since Loki, Tony hadn't had a drop. And you know what, he felt really proud of that fact.

Tony slept well that night as he dreamed of finally getting his life together and maybe, just maybe, Steve falling in love with him.

UMTB

Two day's after Tony's birthday, Pepper arrived at the tower. As much as both of them would have preferred it to be a social visit, it just wasn't one of those occasions.

"Tony, the press is going insane. You haven't made an appearance in months and I can only cover for you so many times. We need to hold a press conference." Spoke Pepper once she was seated with Tony. The other Avengers were in the room as well because this also affected them.

"Do I have to? I really don't want to do one. Maybe we should call Loki so he can make the press just go away." Sighed Tony as he curled up where he was sitting. Steve moved a bit closer so he was ready to comfort Tony if needed.

"I know you hate the press Tony, but this needs to be done. We can't just have you drop off the face of the Earth." Tony frowned and did not look pleased at all. Steve picked up on this and added in his own suggestion.

"Well, seeing as this was caused in an Avengers fight and this really is Avengers business, shouldn't I be the one to explain things before Tony goes out. That way everything is verifiable and we have backup if we need it."

"That's a great idea. I'll let you guys sort out the details about what information is classified and what's not. The conference will be Monday afternoon so be ready." Finished Pepper before she was out the door. She would have liked to stay for a bit but she had a meeting with the Board of Directors about the possible stalk hit that might happen after the conference.

The team dissipated a bit so they could wash up before dinner. They'd been training all afternoon and honestly, some of them stank a bit. Steve, however, remained with Tony. He could see how tense he was and he wasn't about to leave him.

"I really don't want to do this press conference." Whined Tony as Steve pulled him into a hug.

"I know. I don't either. The press are vultures. I wish they'd report on actual news that affects people instead of cheep gossip when people are vulnerable. I just want to keep all that away from you."

"Steve, I'm a big boy. I've dealt with the press since I was a baby. I don't think you can protect me." Sassed Tony and Steve smiled. Tony was starting to feel more comfortable around everyone and his sassiness and jokes were starting to return.

"I know you are. But that still doesn't make everything ok." Spoke Steve as he rested his head on top of Tony's. At that moment Steve wanted nothing more than to kiss the man but now wasn't the time. Soon though. Soon he would ask Tony out and they would be happy.

Monday arrived faster than they would have liked. It was stressful for everyone. Tony was stressed because he had to order a new suit because his older ones were just a little bit too big now. Steve was stressed because he just knew that something would go wrong and he'd have to protect Tony. And Pepper was stressed because she didn't want to see her friends get hurt or upset. Despite no longer being together, she still cared deeply for Tony and only wanted to see him be happy.

As they waited behind a curtain for Pepper to begin the conference, Tony kept pacing back and forth. He looked so nervous and scared and it broke Steve's heart. All he wanted to do was bundle Tony away back to the tower, but that just wasn't an option.

"Hey, Tony. Anthony. It'll all be ok." Soothed Steve as he approached Tony and held on to his hands.

"How can you be sure? I just know the press is going to crucify me for not being the asshole playboy they want me too." Fretted Tony and his teeth worried at his bottom lip.

"I won't let them hurt you, Anthony." Whispered Steve has he placed a hand on Tony's cheek. "Nobody wants to get on the bad side of Captain America. They won't mess with you if they know what's good for them."

"Although I appreciate the sentiment, Steve, I know that the press won't care. The best we can do is try to minimize the fallout." Replied Tony as his face fell.

Steve would have liked to reply to Tony. He would have liked to have talked things out before they got called away. But he didn't get the chance. Pepper had appeared and called Steve up to the podium to address the masses. With a last look back at Tony, Steve walked out to the public to face the music.

Steve, luckily, had prepared a pre-set script of what he needed to talk about. He left no room for interruptions. Questions could be asked after he was done talking. Steve talked about exactly what had happened. How Loki had attacked and how it had affected Tony, how the team was working forward, and how it would affect things moving forward for the worlds. In all honesty, this whole situation had sort of been a blessing in disguise. Since Loki, the team had actually been working better together and were more inclusive and less reclusive. Steve had actually seen Tony smile more genuine smiles since the whole incident and Steve had gotten himself into therapy when he heard that Tony was now going.

Things were getting better.

But that really wasn't the whole point of this stupid press conference. The point was to get the world used to Tony being different from the carefully crafted image he had always presented forward when he was out in the world. Tony was so much more than just a rich genius. He was more than a persona and a suit of armour. No, Tony was so much better and the world just needed to accept that.

Steve tried his best to get this all across to the press. He knew Tony wasn't feeling great about this and Steve was also feeling more than done with the whole press thing. He'd done the whole dancing monkey routine back during the war, but, he would do this for Tony. Feelings or not Tony was his teammate and they should stick up for each other. God knows how many times Tony stood in front of the press defending the rest of the Avengers after a fight. It was time that Steve returned the favour.

When Tony walked out to the podium he was greeted to the almost deafening sound of cameras clicking and people shouting. The public hadn't seen Tony looking this young in about 20 years. The Tony in front of them didn't yet have his signature facial hair. He was shorter, and he didn't hold himself as high as he once did. Luckily, the noise seemed to quiet down substantially when Tony was ready to speak after a well-placed glare from Steve.

"Um… Hi there. You all know who I am. I uh… I know my appearance is a little bit different, but I promise you that this won't affect things with SI and the Avengers." Spoke Tony with as much confidence as he could muster in the face of the situation.

But there was only so much false confidence Tony could get across. Loki's spell prevented him from hiding his true feelings about things and unfortunately, this was one of those moments where that spell was getting in the way of Tony just getting the job done.

And the press quickly picked up on that fact.

"Mr. Stark, if you can't even make it through this press conference how can anybody trust you to keep it together in battle?" asked one pushy reporter. And before Tony could even answer even more reporters were yelling out questions.

"Captain Rogers, Mr. Stark was an even worse alcoholic playboy at this age than when he was a few years ago. How can you allow someone like that on the team?"

"Mr. Stark. How can you be sure that you won't relapse into old habits now that your body is younger?"

The questions just kept coming and the noise just kept getting louder. It was overwhelming for everyone involved. And Tony, poor Tony who was already having a shitty day and wasn't able to hide his emotions anymore, was just having the worst time. His frown deepened and his hands shook at his sides as he tried to keep everything under control. But, his eyes betrayed his true emotions.

And Steve saw this.

Steve saw this and lost his shit.

"Alright. Everyone, be quiet." Shouted Steve and the room fell silent. "I have to say that I am appalled at your behaviour. How can you be so eager to try and tear down a man who had done more for this world then most of you ever will? Tony Stark is an Avenger, therefor he's protected by the rest of us. You all know nothing about him other than the preconceived notions you already had. Instead of actually trying to learn what happens in situations you run off of rumours that cause more damage then they do good. Now, you should all watch your backs because if you mess with one Avenger you mess with all of us."

By the end of his little speech, Steve was practicably snarling and the whole room was almost deadly quiet. Nobody knew what to say. What Steve had said struck a chord with some people and honestly, nobody wanted to make Captain America any angrier than he already was.

"I'm going. I can't deal with these idiots any longer." Sighed Tony and in his eyes, Steve could tell that he was holding tears back. The world really was harsh and uncaring to people when they weren't what they wanted.

Steve looked over to Pepper and she nodded that they could go. She would handle the rest. Tony and Steve swiftly left the stage and once behind closed doors Steve pulled Tony into a hug. They both needed it.

"I fucking hate the press. How can people act like such jackasses?" whispered Tony and Steve just shook his head. He didn't know.

"Thank you for defending me by the way. The only other person who's ever done that to the media is Rhodey. So you know… thank you." Spoke Tony once he'd composed himself a little bit better.

"Tony, I will always defend you. We're a team. We should have each other's backs." Smiled Steve as he looked Tony over. That was a promise that Steve would be keeping. Nobody was going to mess with HIS Tony and get away with it.

With both of them eager to get back home, Tony and Steve were quick to take the elevator back up to the Avengers floors. Tony made a b-line for his lab and Steve was quick to follow. Neither really wanted to be alone and both understood the need to do something to get their mind off of all the horribleness.

They worked up until dinner time when Clint called them up. The team always questioned their collective sanity whenever it was Clint's turn to cook. Well, it wasn't so much cooking as it was burning things then ordering pizza. Why they still let Clint in the kitchen was up for debate.

Dinner was a silent affair. Both Tony and Steve were still stressed out from the press conference and everyone else felt for them. They'd all seen what happened and it what a miracle that none of them had arrived to cause trouble.

After dinner, everyone went their separate ways for the evening. Even Tony and Steve. Both needed to get their heads clear before they went to bed or else neither of them would be getting a good nights sleep. Although, they did seek each other out right before bedtime. Steve could tell that Tony was exhausted from the day's events so he was quick to bundle him up and whisk him off to bed. By the time Steve had Tony laying down at his side, the man was already asleep. For a man who was famous for not sleeping due to lab binges, Tony sure had been sleeping a whole lot.

Well, it wasn't really a whole lot but it seemed that way. Tony was just actually getting sleep every night and was looking healthier for it.

Once Steve had situated himself comfortably he noticed he had a little bit of a problem. Luckily with how Tony was curled into his side like a little kitten, he wasn't privy to Steve's problem. Now, Steve was no blushing virgin like the media tended to paint him as, but even he felt embarrassed by what had happened.

As Steve watched the rise and fall of Tony's chest he quickly realized that he was sporting a very inappropriate erection. He knew what had caused it. Tony was just so beautiful both asleep and awake. Plus all the adrenaline from the day really wasn't helping. Not wanting to make the situation more awkward than it already was, Steve extracted himself from the bed and made his way over to the bathroom to take care of his little problem. He was very thankful for the soundproofing.

When Steve was finished he looked at himself in the mirror and frowned. He just knew that his attraction to Tony was only going to get worse. He needed to think of a plan. And that plan involved asking Tony out on a date. But it couldn't just be any old date. It had to be the perfect one.

* * *

So, what does everyone think? I thought that this one was cute. Also, I think we can all agree that the press are evil and that Birthday Tony is adorable. On another note, I've started writing my very own novel that I hope to get published someday so updates on this fic might be a little bit slower. I'll let you all know how that's going. So, until next chapter -Shadows


	8. Kiss me like you miss me

Slight warning for this chapter. There are references to abuse suffered by some of the other Avengers in the past. It's nothing major but just be prepared. Also Tony makes a reference to a really nasty past relationship. Don't say I didn't warn you. I'll see you at the end.

* * *

A couple of days after that disaster of a press conference Steve finally got the courage to ask Tony out on a date. Well, it wasn't so much courage as it was a spur of the moment thing brought on by some very choice clothing.

Here's what happened.

Steve had been having a very productive day. It was a Friday which meant that most of the team was training or going to their therapy sessions. Steve had actually suggested that all members of the team find a trusted therapist to help them. With the way their lives were it was important for their health. Plus almost none of them had had decent childhoods. Tony was abused and in the public eye all the time. Bruce was abused and he saw his father kill his mother. Clint was abused and had travelled with the circus before becoming an assassin. Nat had her whole ordeal with the Red Room. Steve had grown up sick and poor and then trust into a new century where everything was different. And Thor had the weight of leadership of a whole civilization resting on his shoulders.

None of them had it easy and Steve just wanted to make sure that everyone was working through things and making an effort to get better. He never wanted to see any of his team hurt themselves like Tony had back when Loki attacked.

But back to Steve's productive day.

He'd actually gotten a lot done. He'd had a bit of a breakthrough in therapy about his feelings about the past. He'd gotten in a really good workout that left him feeling energized and great. He'd finished up one of his newest pieces of art that he was for sure going to hang up in the common room. So yes, Steve had been productive and was feeling great. He didn't think anything could make the day better.

Well, Steve was sorely mistaken.

Steve was mid-conversation with Clint in the kitchen when he heard the stomping of boots emanating from down the hall. There wasn't a call to assemble so he had no clue who would be wearing boots inside. So, Steve went to investigate and immediately ran into the corner of the wall when he saw who was making the noise.

Standing just outside the kitchen was Tony, but with his new outfit, he looked so much more different. Tony was wearing black combat boots that were the source of the noise. To accompany those boots were a pair of black ripped skinny jeans and a black Metallica tank top that showed off Tony's arm muscles. Tony was also wearing a few small leather bracelets on his right hand and had a small silver stud earring in his left ear. He also had on a touch of mascara to make his doe eyes look even bigger.

He looked like a 90's bad boy mixed with early 2000's goth. And Steve thought he looked hot… and distracting.

"Oh my god, Steve! Are you alright?" worried Tony the second he saw Steve walk into the wall.

Steve just nodded and looked up at Tony sort of awestruck from his place on the floor. But, before Steve could even begin processing what he was seeing, Clint walked into the hallway after having heard all the commotion.

"Yo Stark! What's with the bad boy get up?" asked Clint as he looked over the scene.

"My therapist said that I should dress how I actually wanted to when I was a young adult to help associate this new body with some positive memories. So, I went out shopping and I may how gotten my ear pierced while I was at it." Explained Tony with a smile.

"Well, it looks good my dude." Complemented Clint before he went to go finish his food, but not before shooting Steve a look.

"You sure you're alright Steve? Here, let me help you up." Asked Tony as he reached out for Steve's hand. He helped Steve to his feet and the two looked at each other for a second before Steve lost the battle with his emotions.

"Tony, will you go out with me?" blurted out Steve and the words caught both of them by surprise. Tony's eyes widened before a light blush dusted his cheeks. Steve just stood there and waited. This might not have been how he wanted things to happen but it was happening and he wasn't going to back down.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Steve. I'm no good for you. I couldn't make any of my past relationships work and that was before Loki fucked me over." Whispered Tony as he looked down at the floor. Steve just took his hands in his and pulled him close.

"Well, I'm not your past relationships. This is something new. We're both heroes, we've had similar experiences. I already know that you get lost in your head sometimes and I don't care. Tony, you're amazing. I want to go steady with you. I want you in my life. I want to try." Spoke Steve and Tony pulled back a little bit.

"I just don't want to mess things up." Sighed Tony.

"But you want to try." Commented Steve and Tony nodded.

"I want to try. I really want to try."

"Great." Smiled Steve. "Then be ready tonight by 5. I know exactly where we're going." Tony nodded and stood there a second before looking back up at Steve.

"It'll be 5 in like half an hour Steve."

"I know but I'm all gross from working out. Meet me in the garage by my bike."

And with that Steve was off with a huge dopey smile on his face. He'd just scored himself a date and couldn't be happier.

Steve had never showered faster in his life. Even in the army when all his showers were regulated he wasn't even as fast as he just was. Steve wasted no time. He even got dressed quickly. He got dressed in a white t-shirt, jeans, and his old brown leather jacket. He wanted to keep it simple but he was also well aware that he looked smoking hot in a tight white shirt and jeans. He'd never gotten any complaints other than Clint once calling him a thot. Steve wasn't sure what that meant but he took it in stride.

Once Steve was all dressed and ready he made his way down to the garage. It was in the basement of the tower and Steve opted to take the elevator in lieu of trying to run down all those damn stairs. Hulk had complained enough about those stairs for that to be a large enough deterrent. Once Steve opened the door to the garage he was very happy to see that Tony was already there waiting for him.

Tony, to Steve's delight, hadn't changed his outfit. The only thing he added was a black leather jacket to keep out the chilly evening air. He smiled as Steve approached but there was still an air of nervousness in his eyes.

"You ready to go?" asked Steve and Tony nodded.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." Smirked Steve as he sat down on the bike. Tony sat right behind him and Steve smiled as he placed his arms around his waist.

Steve revved up the bike and soon they were off. They sped through the city and out of Manhattan towards Brooklyn. The two smiled and laughed as they rode around taking little back streets with Steve pointing out things that were still the same from his childhood.

They eventually stopped at this little hole in the wall place run by this old Italian couple. Steve had a sneaking suspicion that Tony would like it based solely off of the amount of pasta Tony ate on a regular basis. When Steve stepped off the bike he turned around and saw Tony smiling at him.

"I thought you might like this place. I discovered it back before the Battle of New York. Plus I know you like pasta." Smiled Steve and Tony let out a little chuckle.

"You know I'm half Italian, right? My mom was born and raised in Sicily. I was born with a love of pasta good pastry."

"Wow, that's pretty neat. Have you ever been?" asked Steve as the two entered the restaurant and got seated.

"I went once with my mom when I was about 10. Howard was away on business and my mom thought it would be fun to take me on an actual vacation for the first time. It was nice not having to worry about school or building things for Howard. It was nice. I got to run around and explore and I got to meet my grandparents. They died of old age shortly after but it was nice to get to meet them." Smiled Tony as he recounted the memory. Steve smiled too. He was glad that Tony at least had a few good memories from his childhood.

"I'd love to see Italy again someday. The last time I was there was during the war."

The two chatted for a little while before they ordered. They were having a great time telling stores and laughing. Tony almost lost it when Steve told him about the time the Dum Dum Dugan walked in on Peggy Carter changing on accident and looked terrified for his life.

"Aunt Peggy never told me about that! I can see why though." Spoke Tony as he continued to laugh.

"You know Peggy?"

"I do. She was the only one who could really keep Howard in line. I can't visit her as much because she thinks I'm Howard and I can't really handle that. Although, maybe with this new look it'll jog her memory a bit. I wonder if she'd like this new look?"

"Well, I can't speak for Peggy but I can quite definitively say that I really like this new look, Anthony. Although, knowing Peggy she might be a little affronted by all the back clothing. She always did like a pop of colour."

"You know my name wasn't even supposed to be Anthony. Mom wanted to name me Antonio before Howard got a hold of the birth certificate."

From there the conversation and flirting flowed like a fine wine. They both learned new things about each other that they hadn't gotten to talk about yet. Steve took the time to compliment Tony on every little thing he could think of. He knew that Tony was a flirt and Steve could play just as dirty. And, getting to see the blush that was painted across Tony's cheeks was a reward all on its own.

By the time they'd gotten back to the tower, it was already dark out. Well, as dark as you can get for being in Manhattan. Steve sometimes missed seeing the starts but he understood why Tony didn't. Months ago Tony had told everyone what he had seen when he took the nuke through the portal and now all of them were working together on preparing for another space invasion.

"I had a really fun time tonight." Smiled Tony as he and Steve walked back towards what they now called their room. "I've never really been out on a date like that before. They've always been so formal in the past. This was nice."

"I'm glad you liked it. I've wanted to ask you out for a while. I'm so happy that you agreed."

"I'm happy that I said yes. I've sort of had a bit of a crush on you for a while but I didn't know what to do about it. I really hope that things work out." Spoke Tony a bit sheepishly and Steve smiled back.

"I hope so too."

And with that Steve leant down and gave Tony a sweet kiss on the lips. Sparks flew as the kiss deepened just a little bit and Tony ended up fisting his hands in Steve's shirt. Steve, on the other hand, was ecstatic. He'd been dreaming of this moment for a while now and it was just perfect. Tony just felt so perfect wrapped in his arms as Steve held him and kissed. Steve smiled a bit and made the move to deepen the kiss further but the second he felt Tony tense up a bit be backed off and broke the kiss. He didn't want to overstep any of Tony's boundaries.

"What's wrong Tony? Is everything alright?" asked Steve as he stared at Tony. The man's eyes were a bit downcast and Steve began to worry.

"I um… I don't really know what the protocol for this situation is. I've never really been in a normal relationship and to be honest I um… I… I don't think I'm really ready for sex yet. Not with this body." Spoke Tony sheepishly. This was definitely one of those situations where Tony wanted to lie but just found that he couldn't. Stupid Loki.

Steve was quick to pick up on what Tony was saying. He could feel how tense Tony was. How there seemed to be a little bit of fear in his eyes. Almost like he was waiting for Steve to get mad at him for not being the crazed playboy that the media had painted. But Steve knew better and he wasn't going to let Tony feel uncomfortable.

"Tony, we don't have to do anything you're not ready for. To be honest, as much as I'd like to have sex with you I don't think I'm ready yet. I still have some things I need to work through. For now, all I want to do is hold you and see you smile." Murmured Steve and Tony just sagged with relief.

"Thank you." Whispered Tony as he head fell against Steve's shoulder.

"Tony. Anthony. I will always respect your boundaries. Being comfortable in a relationship and with sex is important. I'm going to do anything without your consent. Consent is important." Spoke Steve soft but sternly. He needed Tony to understand that he would never hurt him or take from him.

"Not with me. Never with me." Whispered Tony and Steve stiffened. He knew Tony had it rough but he'd been hoping that nothing had gone as far as this. "I didn't really want to be a playboy. It made me uncomfortable. But nobody really ever asks. My first girlfriend at MIT didn't ask. She ticked me and told me that I'd do it if I loved her. Then she stole SI designs from me and fucked off."

Steve had no words. He hated that there were people out there who just took and took from his Tony. His sweet Anthony who played fetch with his bots and had an unhealthy addiction to coffee. His Tony who yes, had made mistakes in the past but most of them were made from misplaced trust and grooming. The whole thing with Obadiah Stane still creeped him out once he'd gotten all the information. But, there wasn't anything Steve could do about the past. All be could do was make the future better.

"I promise you, Anthony. You'll never have to go through anything like that again. I'm not going to let things like that happen anymore. You're safe. We're both safe. We'll protect each other." Cooed Steve as the two sat down on the bed.

They stayed there for a while before slowly pulling apart and getting dressed quickly for bed. Soon enough Steve was laying on his back while Tony rested his head on his chest. There wasn't a whole lot of talking. There were a lot of big feelings in the past few minutes and neither really had much to say. They just wanted the comfort of the other.

Tony was the first to fall asleep. Steve stayed up a little while longer. He was a little too keyed up to sleep. He kept replaying the events of the day in his head. He'd finally asked Tony out and they'd kissed. He just knew that Tony was made to be with him and Steve just knew he had to make up for all his past mistakes to make this work with Tony. He wanted to make this work.

But for now, all Steve knew he needed to do was get some sleep so that he could spend more time with Tony when they both woke up. He fell asleep with a smile on his face and a warmth in his soul that he hadn't felt since going into the ice.

* * *

Hmmm, I wonder who that ex-girlfriend was? Any 616 people and people who read a lot of fics will know who I'm talking about. So… our boys are finally together! Who's excited?! I sure am. Everything will work out exactly as it's supposed to. Also, consent is important. Pass it on.

On an unrelated note, I'd like to say that my cat Cheddar is a dick. I just took him outside in the back for a little walkabout like normal and I turned my back for a second to check on the garden and he managed to jump the fence into the front yard. So naturally, I freaked out and got my whole family looking. Turned out that the dickface jumped over the other fence to return to the backyard by the compost bin. So if the last few paragraphs seem a little bit on edge that's because I just had to deal with that.

See you soon. -Shadows


	9. How Steve broke the internet

Yay! It's time for a new chapter. I think you'll all enjoy this one. Spoiler, Steve breaks the internet. I'll see you at the end.

* * *

Now that Tony and Steve had taken the plunge and started a relationship things around the tower actually became better. The team were very quick to welcome the new relationship and were more than supportive. They also all very quickly learned that despite the goody-two-shoes façade that Steve put forth, the man was more than happy to let loose with the PDA in the tower.

Steve was always grabbing Tony and kissing him, pulling him onto his lap during movie night, holding hands when they had to go to the new reformed SHIELD offices. Everyone thought that the whole thing was sickeningly cute. Tony would blush every time and the two of them just looked so damn happy to be together.

Tony and Steve also decided to have a standing date night. A night just for them. No Team. Just them. They mostly went out incognito. It helped that Tony had switched up his fashion from t-shirts and suit jackets to his new punk rock sort of look. Steve mostly tried to use the good old sunglasses and ball cap for which he got a lot of flack from the team about.

On one of their date nights just after Steve's birthday, Tony took Steve out to an art gallery that he thought he'd enjoy. Tony enjoyed himself too. He may have played off his interest in art in the past due to the image he'd cultivated over the years but in truth, Tony loved art. His mother had taught him to appreciate the arts. She taught him how to draw which was useful when designing new tech. She taught him piano which quickly translated into Tony learning how to play the electric guitar to annoy Howard.

But art, that was one of the things that both Tony and Steve had in common. The would sometimes draw together down in the lab. It was really cute. So, Tony just knew that going to see an art gallery was going to be fun. And they did have fun. They looked at all the art and gave their critiques. They played at trying to imitate the stupid faces in some of the modern art pieces. They were both full of smiles.

As they were driving back home at the end of the night, Tony had an idea that he had a feeling Steve might like.

"We should set you up on Instagram so you can show off your art." Commented Tony as they got out of the car and made their way to the tower's private elevator.

"What's an Instagram?"

"It's an app for your phone. People use it to post pictures for people to see. You could put your art on there so you can share how talented you are." Said Tony with a smile.

"Do you think people would actually like to see my art?" asked Steve as the rode the elevator up to their room.

"Sure they would. You're amazing Steve. You should show off your work and be proud of it."

All Steve could do in response was pull Tony into a bear hug. Between the two of then, Tony was the one who was more insecure and self-conscious. But, Steve had his own fears. He feared rejections. He feared being alone in this new world. He feared dying and leaving his new family behind.

But, with Tony at his side. His sweet, sweet Tony, Steve was more than ready to take the jump.

The two spent the next hour carefully curating Steve's new Instagram. Tony showed him how it worked and they picked out a few of Steve's favourite pictures to post. And, with a quick e-mail, because Tony is Tony, they got Steve verified. That had had Steve asking more questions about social media. They ended up spending half the night together going through the various forms of social media so that Steve could learn. When they went to breakfast the next morning looking exhausted, Clint made a lewd joke that had Bruce and Thor snickering but both Tony and Steve denied everything. Truth be told, they hadn't really gotten past the kissing stage of their relationship. Sure, sometimes hands wandered a bit but they hadn't done much else. Neither really cared. They were comfortable where they were for the moment.

The rest of the day continued on as normal. That morning they had a team training exercise that ended in a few bruises and a ripped pair of shorts on Thor's part. They showered off before heading up to have some lunch. Lunch was uneventful and afterwards Tony and Steve retired to the living room to watch a movie while Tony answered some e-mails for SI. It was all going great until Tony received a text from Pepper.

Potts: Tony, have you checked the news today?

Stark: No… why?

Potts: You might want to check. You and Steve are trending all over the place.

Tony instantly began to panic. He frantically searched up what Pepper was talking about and his hands shook as he read article after article. Someone at the art gallery had leaked that they had been there and had snapped a picture of the two holding hands. Steve was quick to pick up on Tony's panic and was at his side in seconds reading over the same things Tony was seeing.

What struck Steve as odd was that the mass majority of the articles were negative about their relationship. There were a whole bunch of anti-LGBT articles as well as even more than bashing Tony for corrupting a national icon. It made Steve furious that people were saying so many nasty things about Tony. They had no right. They had no idea what when on behind their closed doors. Plus, Steve was the one who asked Tony out. And to add insult to injury, they were calling Tony a cradle robber for dating Steve. Steve was the older one in the relationship. He was born before Tony was and with the whole Loki situation and Tony now being younger, he was STILL the older one.

Steve tried his best to keep calm so he didn't upset Tony further as he tried to comfort his boyfriend. It hurt to see him scared. This wasn't something they should have had to be dealing with. If only people would mind their own business. What goes on between two consenting adults is their business unless someone was being hurt. But nobody was being hurt here. Tony and Steve were in love and happy and now these stupid media people were trying to stop that.

"Anthony darlin', everything's going to be alright." Soothed Steve, a bit of his old Brooklyn accent seeping through.

"No it's not Steve!" panicked Tony, "They're saying all these things. I've ruined you, Steve. Ruined you! This is all my fault! People love you. I'm nothing but a dirty whore to everybody. You should go, Steve. I don't want to hurt you any further."

By the end of Tony's little rant, he was crying. Not just tears but stuttering fearful sobs that broke Steve's heart. He could see how scared Tony was. He could see how Tony actually thought those things about himself. It made Steve want to hurt every person who had made Tony believe those things. Tony deserved so much more then what the world had flung at him and Steve just wanted to make everything better.

What Steve didn't count on was Tony regaining enough composure to get up and start fleeing to his lab. Steve just sat there in shock for a moment. There was so much happening that his brain just sort of stop functioning. But, Steve was quick to shack off the foggy feeling and chase after Tony. If Tony was in this much destress then he shouldn't be left alone.

JARVIS helped a lot as Steve tracked Tony through the tower. He'd headed straight to his lab and Steve was right behind him. But, when Steve entered the lab, he was met by a sight he never hoped to see. Tony was there holding the last bottle of alcohol he owned. He'd gone cold turkey after Loki de-aged him and hadn't touched a drop in months. The only bottle he kept was an old one that used to belong to his mother. Steve immediately rushed over before Tony could succeed in getting the stopper off.

"Tony! What are you doing?!" shouted Steve in panic, but he realized too late that Tony would think his yelling was out of anger directed at him.

"I just wanted a drink." Mumbled Tony as his knees gave out and he started to have a panic attack.

Tony was breathing erratically and clutching at the arc reactor. His eyes were clenched shut and his hands shook like crazy. Steve immediately knelt down beside his boyfriend and followed the instructions JARVIS gave on how to bring Tony out safely. It took some work, but after a little while, Steve had Tony calm and coherent enough to listen to what needed to had said.

"Anthony sweetheart, I want you to listen to me alright. None of what the media said is true. You are not a whore. You have not ruined me. You are everything to me. I don't care what the media says. Now, if you wanted to leave the relationship because you are no longer comfortable then that's one thing but saying that you've ruined me because of the words of some asshole behind a desk isn't a good enough reason. I'm not going to leave you, Tony. I love you." Spoke Steve with conviction. And, it may have still been early in the relationship, but Steve was 100% sure that he loved Tony.

"You love me?" whispered Tony his breath still shaky.

"I do Tony. I do. And I'm not going to leave you on the words of the media. I know the real you and I quite like him." Smiled Steve.

Tony looked on with a bit of uncertainty, but he trusted Steve not to lie to him. Tony just nodded his head a bit and rested against Steve's chest. He felt exhausted. A panic attack always left him feeling tired and shitty. Steve picked up on his exhaustion and was quick to offer comfort. Steve pulled Tony into his arms and gave his head a sweet little kiss.

"How about we head back to our room. I'm positive that the bed is a whole heck of a lot more comfortable then us sitting on the lab floor."

Tony nodded and Steve scooped him up in his arms and began walking back to their room. Normally Tony would have liked to walk on his own to preserve a little bit of his dignity, but his legs felt like jelly and Steve was just so comfortable that Tony couldn't even muster the energy to complain.

Once they got back to the room, Steve removed his and Tony's shoes and got Tony situated under the covers beside him. Tony was already beginning to nod off as Steve fussed around a bit before sitting himself down beside Tony.

"I love you too Steve. It's scary, but I love you too." Mumbled Tony as he laid his head down on the pillow underneath him. Steve just smiled and ran his hand through Tony's hair as he drifted off to sleep.

Once Steve was sure that Tony was asleep and comfortable in their bed, Steve pulled out his phone and opened up the new Twitter account that each Avenger had been given once the team had been government official. He needed the world to know that none of them would be messing with his Tony. He was sure this would come back to bite him in the ass but Steve didn't care. He had to protect his own.

capamericaofficial Dear world; I'm sitting here in bed with my boyfriend after he had a panic attack. Do you wanna know what caused that? You. You caused that. (1/7)

capamericaofficial You guys just couldn't let us have a nice date out could you? I'm appalled at the behaviour of the press these days. How can you preach (2/7)

capamericaofficial all these lies?! You know nothing about mine and Tony's relationship. First of all, Tony did NOT defile a national icon by turning me gay (3/7)

capamericaoffical I'm Bi for the record and I was that way well before I went into the ice in WW2. I was the one to ask him out. I made the first move. (4/7)

capamericaofficial You all know nothing about Tony. NOTHING! I'm furious that all everyone ever cares about is trying to tear him down. Let it be known (5/7)

capamericaoffical Tony Stark is my boyfriend and I don't appreciate people messing with him. I refuse to sit by and watch him suffer (6/7)

capamericaofficial from the words of people who don't even care about the man behind all the masks. So let this be a warning. STAY AWAY FROM MY TONY! (7/7)

After Steve was finished typing he put his phone on silent and curled up around Tony. He was feeling exhausted himself and a nap sounded great.

What happened in the next couple of hours was nothing short of insane. The internet went absolutely crazy over Steve's tweets. New articles were printed trying to analyze what Steve had said. He'd grown an impressive following in a matter of minutes. They commented on how possessive of Tony Steve sounded in his tweets. It was absolutely insane.

Pepper was made of course. She was the one who had to handle that PR shit show. Steve felt bad for her, but he didn't regret his actions. He needed to let the world know not to mess with his Tony. And it would appear that the message was received. Tony was still apprehensive and twitchy for the few days following the whole media incident, but with Steve assurance that he wasn't going to leave things got a little bit better. They hadn't gotten to go out on any dates since the whole debacle and it had been a whole week.

They caught a lucky break one Tuesday afternoon in mid-July. It was pretty calm for New York and Tony and Steve decided to sneak out to a little pizza shop just a block away from the tower. They were all dressed and ready to go. Steve was smiling, Tony looked happier then he had the past week. It looked to be a promising afternoon.

Too bad nobody told the God of Mischief to lay off the crazy for the day.

* * *

So… what did everyone think. Steve is a little possessive don't you think. He just wants to keep his family safe. Also, the media fucking suck. On another note, my country has a huge election next month to decide our new prim minister. So all the election signs are out on the roads and blocking traffic. YAY! I can tell you right now I absolutely hate living in the riding that I do because I can guarantee you that they're going to vote for the Conservative Party and I don't want that. I'd love to vote for the NDP but that would be throwing away my vote so I'm voting Liberal to piss off all the rich white conservatives. Gotta show them that the young voters want change and actual solutions to climate change. Well, enough ranting, I'll see you next chapter. -Shadows


	10. Breaking the broken

Hello! I do think it's about time for a new chapter. Side note, pay attention to what Loki does this chapter. It's important. This one also has some medical stuff. Also, I Am Not A Doctor! So, I'm mostly going off of google for this. I'll see you at the end.

* * *

The call to assemble came as a surprise for everyone. It had been so calm for the past 3 or so months. So, it was a mad scramble for everyone to get suited up and out the door to Harlem where Loki was currently kicking up a fuss and animating cars like some fucked up version of Transformers.

They were quick to come up with a plan. The heavy hitters would work on keeping the cars away from buildings and civilians while the others got people to safety. It was working great other than the fact that Loki would go from rooftop to rooftop laughing at them all. But, Loki was also a trickster and a manipulator. He knew exactly what he wanted to do.

While Tony was flying around making sure that none of the rogue cars had made it down a heavily populated street he felt the suit loose power. With a shout, he fell the short distance onto a rooftop. Unfortunately, Tony landed a little funny and pain shot through his left leg. He probably jammed it. It was probably nothing. There was still fighting that needed to happen. So, Tony pulled himself up and turned around to test out the movement of the suit.

And that was when he came once again face to face with Loki.

"Stark. How has my last spell been treating you?"

"Piss off Reindeer Games." Spat Tony as he opened the faceplate of his helmet.

"Well, seeing as you're still here I think I need to try harder. I hear that you and the good captain have started courting." Teased Loki and Tony tried not to let any of the fear he felt show in his eyes.

"You leave him out of this!"

"Oh, but there's so much fun I could have. But, he is not my target. I had hoped that my last attack would be enough to destabilize the Avengers. I guess I was wrong. So, I'll just turn you into an even bigger freak Stark. So much that not even your beloved Captain won't love you anymore."

Before Tony could even question what Loki was going on about, he was hit in the stomach by a spell from Loki. It burled like hell and was enough to send Tony toppling off of the roof to the ground below. Tony scrambled in the air to try and reactivate the suit before he hit the ground. He didn't succeed. He hit the ground with a loud crunch as the concreate buckled beneath the suit.

Tony lay there dazed for a second before he felt it. The all-encompassing pain in his left leg. Tony screamed out in pain. The pain was so intense that he's completely forgotten about the pain in his stomach from Loki's spell. The only other time he'd felt this much pain was when he'd had open-heart surgery in that damn cave. The pain was the same as when his ribs were being broken.

So, Tony could only draw one conclusion. His leg must be broken. And, paired with the dizziness he was feeling, he must also have a concision as well as some bleeding. The pain was so bad that Tony had lost his fight to hold back his tears. Sure, he'd fallen in the suit before, but it had never hurt this much before. He was so out of it from the pain that Tony had failed to see that the battle had ended and the rest of the team were running towards him.

"Anthony, sweetheart! Tony!" shouted Steve as he dropped to his knees beside Tony. To Tony, the shouting sounded so distant. All he could do was reach over and clutch at Steve's hand as he tried a bit to calm down.

"Tony, can you tell us what hurts?" asked Natasha.

"…leg."

"Which leg?"

"Left…" Tony was starting to shiver a bit from the shock of the situation.

"Don't worry darlin'. We'll get you help. SHIELD is on their way with medical help. It's alright baby." Soothed Steve as he tried not to panic at what was happening. His Tony was laying on the pavement hurt and he couldn't do anything but offer comfort. If Steve could take the pain away he would. He just couldn't.

"We need to remove the suit before SHIELD gets here." Instructed Natasha and everyone nodded.

"Not the whole thing. With the way his leg is sitting the suit may be what's keeping things in place." Cautioned Bruce as he pulled on the spare clothing that Thor handed to him for after he de-Hulked.

The team slowly began to remove the suit while Steve gently held Tony and made sure that he didn't fall asleep. The pain was getting to be a bit much and they could see that Tony was struggling. Luckily, SHIELD was fast and the medics had arrived. Steve stayed by Tony's side the whole time. Nobody had the heart to separate the two lovers when one was hurt.

They loaded Tony onto a stretcher and onto the Quinjet so they could head to SHIELD Medical. Steve was there the whole time holding Tony's right hand as the doctors worked. They pumped Tony full of pain killers in an attempt to get him to calm down some so they could work, but no pain killer was better then just Steve being there.

The second they arrived at SHIELD there were doctors poking and prodding at Tony's leg. Tony ended up biting his lip in an attempt to keep from shouting out in pain. Steve squeezed his hand in reassurance in the hopes that Tony felt grounded by the gesture.

After some time and the partial removal of the leg plating, the doctors decided to do an x-ray to find out exactly how Tony's leg was broken. Steve was forced to wait outside so the doctors could do their thing. He could head Tony shouting out in pain every time they had to move him. It broke Steve's heart. His Tony was hurting and he couldn't do anything. Thankfully, soon enough, Tony was returned to his room and Steve was at his side while they waited for the doctors.

After only 10 minutes the doctors returned followed by one Dr. Helen Cho. She had joined the newly reformed SHIELD recently so she could perfect her cradle technology as well as to help with the more enhanced members of the Avengers when they needed medical help. She was a genius in her field and the Avengers were lucky to have her.

"Alright Dr. Stark, let's go over everything." Commented Dr. Cho as she gave Tony's chart one last look before she started.

"So, you've managed to break both your tibia and fibula close to the ankle. Unfortunately, you've managed to break both the bones in more than one place up the leg so we'll need to go in and surgically pin the bones back in place. As well, the bone fragments tore through muscles and ligaments so, I'll be using the cradle technology to help with repairs after the surgery. The whole procedure will take us about 2 hours including time in the cradle." Explained Dr. Cho. Steve was nodding along while Tony just lay there in fear. He really didn't like this.

"We'll be back in about half an hour to prep you for surgery. Is there anything I can get you for the time being?" asked Dr. Cho but Tony just shook his head. He wasn't allowed any stronger pain meds yet because of past addiction problems so there wasn't much he could do for pain.

The doctors soon left to go get thins ready leaving Tony and Steve alone in the room. Steve sat in the bed next to Tony careful not to jostle his injured leg. He didn't want to cause Tony any more pain. He gently held Tony's hand while running his other soothingly through his hair.

"How are you feeling Tony? Not in too much pain?" asked Steve with worry.

"I'm scared and in pain and everything sucks." Hissed Tony once again frustrated by his inability to lie. Fucking Loki and that fucking spell.

"You don't need to be scared, Tony. You're safe here. I won't let anything happen to you." Soothed Steve and that kind of pissed Tony off a bit.

"The last time I had any kind of surgery I was awake and my heart was being torn up! Of course, I'm scared!"

Steve's eyes turned sad at the statement. Sure, he'd read about what had happened in Afghanistan, but reading and hearing it from Tony were two different things. If the perpetrators of Tony's kidnapping weren't already dead then Steve would have gone off to finish the job.

"Anthony, I promise you that you will have proper anesthetic. I'll even stay with you to make sure you're asleep before they start."

"Can you even do that?"

Well, it turns out that if you get angry and possessive enough they will. Well, at least at SHIELD. They were lucky. Steve was currently the only thing keeping Tony from having a complete and udder panic attack the second he saw the medical equipment.

Steve didn't leave his side for a second. He talked in soothing words to distract Tony from all the IV lines and monitor being affixed to his body. But, Tony was still scared. He was doing a good job of not really showing it, but once the mask came close to his face, that was when Tony lost it.

"No! No! No! Please no! Please don't! No! I won't make you weapons!" shouted Tony as he thrashed on the bed. Steve was the one to hold him down and hug him.

"Tony, Tony. Shh. You're safe. I've got you. You're not in Afghanistan. You're safe." Repeated Steve over and over again until Tony began to calm down a little bit. The doctors reattached the lines that had become dislodged in Tony's panic and Steve kept talking to Tony to calm him down. It broke Steve's heart to see Tony so scared, but this was a medical issue and Steve had to stay strong for Tony even though he was scared too.

When the doctor brought the mask back, Steve kept his hold on Tony. He hoped that his touch would help Tony stay in reality. His head rolled back and forth a bit but this time the doctor was able to press the mask over Tony's face. Steve could tell that Tony was trying to fight it so he gave Tony some last words of comfort.

"Tony. You're gonna be ok. You can rest now. The doctors will take care of you, and I'll be right here with you." Soothed Steve as Tony slowly let the anesthesia take him under.

Steve was soon ushered out of the room. There were tears in his eyes as he was escorted back to Tony's room. The others were waiting for him there. Bruce had also called Rhodey and Pepper and both of them were on their way.

"So…?" asked Clint once Steve walked in.

"His legs busted pretty bad. He'd in surgery now. He was so scared before. He brought up Afghanistan and I just…" mumbled Steve as Thor got up and lead Steve over to the comfiest chair in the room so he could sit.

"Tony's strong. He'll be alright. Plus, he's got you and the rest of us." Spoke Natasha and everyone nodded along.

"I just want him to be ok." And with that Steve actually started crying.

It was a bit jarring for the others to see Steve cry. He very rarely did. But, this was proof on how much Steve loved Tony. He really truly loved him and wanted him to be ok. The others did what they could to keep occupied while Tony was in surgery. Rhodey arrived after the first hour and Steve filled him in on what was happening. Rhodey was just relieved that his little brother wasn't dead.

The others were in and out getting food and showering off from the fight, but Steve and Rhodey remained in the room. Neither would rest until they knew that Tony was going to be alright. Thankfully, after two hours a still asleep Tony was wheeled back into the room followed by a few doctors. They got Tony all hocked up to the machines he needed to monitor him before they left leaving just the two soldiers, Tony, and Dr. Cho.

Steve took the opportunity while everyone was busy to take a look at his boyfriend. He looked so much smaller lying there in the hospital bed. It would have been adorable if Steve wasn't scared for Tony. He also looked cold. He didn't have a blanket on and that allowed Steve to see the cast adorning his lower left leg. It was all clean and white and Steve knew that he would be drawing silly things on there to make Tony smile while he healed.

"Well, the operation and cradle usage was a success." Announced Dr. Cho and both Steve and Rhodey sighed in relief.

"So, because of the Cradle, the healing time will be decreased drastically. He'll need to stay in a cast for the next 8 weeks and then have physio after that, but it's better than the 4 months we originally predicted. Once Dr. Stark wakes up we'll go over all the care that he'll need going forward. For now, he just needs rest."

The two nodded before Dr. Cho took her leave. Tony was going to be ok, so now they would be ok. All the jitters in the room dissipated and everyone could breathe. Steve scooted his chair closer so he could take Tony's hand in his. He gently kissed his knuckles and rested his head there. Tony was ok, he could breathe.

An hour later, Tony slowly started to wake up. Despite the pain, he was in Tony came too with a small smile on his face. Steve and Rhodey were talking and Rhodey was sharing some funny stories from MIT. It was nice to hear that his brother and his boyfriend were getting along.

"If I remember correctly, you were the one who put the Jell-O powder in the swimming pool." Mumbled Tony and everyone's heads turned.

"Hey, Tones. How ya feeling?" asked Rhodey as he moved a little closer.

"Leg hurts. Feel a wobbly."

"Don't worry baby. We'll get you all sorted out. Everything will be alright." Soothed Steve as he ran a hand through Tony's hair.

Tony smiled a bit and everyone else did too. Despite the injury, everything was ok. Tony would heal, Steve and Rhodey were getting along, Loki was still an ass but that was a given. Everything was going to turn out just as it should. As Tony fell back asleep he felt Steve crawl into the bed next to him and cuddle in close. After the day they'd had it felt just perfect to be curled up together. They both needed it.

* * *

So… how many of you did I kill with that Endgame reference? I'd say I feel bad but it upped the angst factor so… Also, the next 3 chapters will be NSFW! Just be prepared. I'll have more notes for each of those chapters so read them. I'll see you soon. -Shadows


	11. You're my crutch

Hey there. As I said in the note of the last chapter, this chapter has some nsfw stuff. It's right at the end but if you don't want to read it just stop after you see UMTB. I'll see you at the end.

* * *

A week after surgery Tony was able to leave medial. He was stupidly thankful for being able to leave. The room was beginning to feel claustrophobic. Rhodey was able to stick around until Tony was realized, but like always he was called back to base for a new mission. Tony hated it but at least Rhodey always comes back with some sort of funny story about what was going on.

What sucked the most was the cast and crutches he was provided with to move around. It just made the injury obvious to everybody who dared to look at him. The cast was always visible because he couldn't cover it. None of his pants fit around it with the exception of his sweat and sleep pants and putting a sock over his foot was a no go. It was just too hot in the tower for socks. It was the middle of July and even with all the advancements in the tower, it was still hot.

Although, the heat had the added benefit of Steve walking around in tank-tops or just plane shirtless. So, Tony couldn't really complain about the heat too much.

What was really nice was a couple of days after Tony got back home, Steve whipped out his paints and made Tony's cast look so much more attractive than the stark white it had originally been. That had been a nice evening. Tony was feeling drowsy and a bit nauseous from his pain medication so the two of them had curled up in the living room to watch a movie from Steve's list. As Tony relaxed on the couch, Steve just busted out his paints and turned Tony's cast into one of the boots from the Iron Man armour. It looked amazing and made Tony feel a little bit better about everything.

But, the happiness couldn't really last that long. At the end of July Tony was forced to attend a board meeting. He didn't want to. Steve didn't want him to. Pepper didn't want him to. Nobody wanted him to. Nobody except to Board of Directors who either somehow had no idea what was going on or just didn't give two shits about Tony's health. Tony had his money on option two.

What sucked, even more, was that Tony needed help just getting to the meeting. They had discovered that Tony using his crutches put too much pressure on his arc reactor and was causing him more pain than he needed to be in. So, Dr. Cho, had him stop using them. That, in turn, lead to Steve helping Tony around everywhere like a protective puppy. Around the tower it was cute. Steve would carry Tony places and help him hobble around. He made Tony laugh to keep his mind busy. Being carried was the perfect height for kisses.

But outside of their home Tony just knew that people would call him all sorts of nasty names. Sometimes words hurt more than a god flinging you off a building and breaking your leg.

Arriving at the board meeting should have been uneventful if Tony had been on time. He was five minutes late because when he was finishing up brushing his hair in the bathroom his foot slipped and his injured leg hit the side of the sink. Steve needed to run back to their room to grab Tony's pain medication before things got worse.

So, now he and Steve were late by 5 minutes and that lead to everyone staring at the duo as Steve helped Tony hobble to his chair so he could sit down. Steve sat down right next to him so that Tony could rest his leg on his lap.

"Stark! Are you aware of how unprofessional this is? Bringing your Boyfriend into a company meeting?!" shouted one of the members of the board. He was an older man who had been there from way back in the day with Stane. Actually, it was Stane who had appointed him onto the board so it was no surprise that he liked to stir up trouble with Tony.

But, before Tony could answer, Steve, being Steve, spoke up.

"First of all, I've signed all the NDA's needed to be here. Second, Tony needs help getting around. The crutches aggravate the damage done to his chest so he can't use them anymore. Third, this is really none of your business." Chastised Steve as he started down the board member.

"So, Stark can't even speak for himself? What has the world come to where a Stark is now completely useless?"

"I can speak for myself just fine." Hissed Tony, his voice still laced with pain while he waited for his pain meds to kick in. "I'm just injured and on pain meds so of course I'm going to be a little bit slower. It's not the end of the world if it takes me a second longer to answer one of your stupid questions." Sassed Tony and Steve smiled at him. Tony was starting to gain some more confidence in himself and it was showing. Plus seeing Tony get mad at the board member was its own reward.

So, as Tony talked and explained things to the board, Steve glared daggers at all of them. He didn't need any of them messing with his Tony while he was injured… or ever.

Thankfully, the meeting didn't last too long. Tony and Steve were more than ready to get back home so they could relax. They'd had enough of old men thinking that they know more than them. Tony was the brains of the operation and the creator of most of SI's new green tech. These old men had nothing on him.

What didn't help things was getting bombarded by the press as they exited the building to head back to the tower. Why the fuck wasn't the meeting held at the tower? Hell if Tony knew. All he knew was that he was in pain and pissed off and the press weren't helping at all. Steve quickly helped him over to their car, but it was too late. The press had pictures and stories would be written by the end of the day.

And once again the press was divided and brutal. One group thought that it was cute how Steve was helping Tony while he was injured. The other were calling Tony useless seeing as he couldn't be Iron man while he was injured. There were so many nasty names going around that Steve had to block Tony's access to the news and social media just to keep him calm.

Unfortunately, the damage was already done.

Tony was more withdrawn after the media went crazy. He refused help from everyone and he stopped eating as regularly. Steve was worried sick about him. He tried his best to keep Tony's mind occupied from all the shit that was going on, but there was only so much he could do and Steve was running out of ideas. He needed to keep Tony's overactive mind occupied so that he wouldn't be able to focus on all the shit around them. He needed Tony to eat and sleep and get help when he needed it. They were a partnership and when one partner was hurting then the other was too.

It took a few days, but soon, Steve had an idea. There was a conversation that he and Tony had had a while back. They were cuddled together in bed talking about their childhoods. Tony had brought up the multiple instances of asking his mom and Jarvis if he could have a pet cat. Tony loved cats. They were just so fluffy and cuddly but also assholes when provoked. So really, they're just like Tony. Howard hadn't allowed pets. Something about them being useless for Tony to be around. So, Tony made his own. When he was 11 he'd made a robotic cat that he was so ever proud of. But sadly, Howard destroyed it. It had really messed up Tony seeing that happen and since then he hadn't thought to get a pet of his own.

But maybe now was the time to change that.

One afternoon while Tony was down in the lab working on making a new, more efficient electric engine, Steve snuck out to go visit the local animal shelter. When he arrived he wanted more than anything to just make a b-line for the dog. Steve loved dogs but living in the middle of Manhattan in a high rise tower wasn't the best for a doggo. Maybe someday when he and Tony retired and moved away from the city he could have his dog. But for now, this was a trip to make Tony happy.

Steve had decided early on that getting a kitten was the best option. He wanted Tony to have his new friend for a long time. Plus, if how Tony treated his bots was any indication, this cat was going to be spoiled rotten and loved.

Steve walked down the rows of cages looking at all the different kittens the shelter had. There were grey ones, tiny little calicos, ones that looked like clouds with legs, ones with smooshed in faces. They were just all so cute, Steve hoped that every last one of them would go to a good home. But, Steve was still on the hunt for a kitten that would be a good match for Tony.

Steve was about to go ask for help when he saw it. A cage in the back corner. In it was the tiniest, fluffiest, black kitten. Steve walked closer to get a better look. As Steve approached, the kitten started meowing and pawing for him. Steve smiled and reached through the bars with his fingers to pet the poor little thing. The kitten looked up with her big green eyes and meowed at Steve again. And that was when Steve saw that the kitten had a little patch of white on her chest. Just like Tony and his arc reactor. This was meant to be.

After Steve had talked with one of the agents working at the shelter and signing all the forms he needed too, he was able to bring the little kitten home. This was going to be purrfect! Pun absolutely intended.

Once Steve arrived back home he took the kitten out of her carrier and bundled her up in his jacket. After checking with JARVIS, Steve made his way over to the living room where Tony was watching a movie and working on his tablet. When Steve entered, Tony looked up and narrowed his eyes.

"Where did you go and what are you hiding under your jacket?" asked Tony and Steve smiled.

"I was out getting you a present."

"Why…?"

"What, can't a man just get his fella a present just because?" teased Steve as he carefully sat down next to Tony on the couch.

"He can… So, what is it?"

Steve smiled and gently took the little kitten out from his jacket and placed her in Tony's arms. Tony's eyes widened and he immediately started cooing and petting the kitten. There were a few unshed tears in his eyes as he spouted nonsense babble and giggled when the kitten pawed at his nose. Just watching the two let Steve know that he'd made the right decision. Tony and this kitten were made to be together.

"So, do you like her?" asked Steve with a smile.

"I love her Steve. Thank you so much." Whispered Tony as tears formed in his eyes. This was his childhood dream come true and it was purrfect.

Steve was just happy that Tony was smiling again.

"So, what are you going to call her?" Tony thought hard for a moment. He had a few ideas in mind but only one seemed just right.

"Acorn. I think I'll call her Acorn."

Everyone living in the tower loved Acorn. Bruce would pet her to help calm down. Natasha and Clint would laugh as they played with the cat and a laser pointer. Thor proclaimed her to be a "Tiny beast of great might". It was great. Acorn also tended to follow Tony everywhere. The two were hardly ever seen apart. Most of the time Acorn was seen perched on Tony's shoulders when he was lazing around.

Having Acorn also had the added benefit of Tony getting back on a schedule. Tony got up in the mornings and eat breakfast with Steve and the cat because if Acorn wasn't fed at exactly 7:00 am she would let you know.

So, Tony started getting a little healthier with the help of Steve's love and a little kitten named Acorn.

UMTB

In mid-August, after Tony had had his cast on for about 5 weeks he was finally taken off his pain medication and allowed a little more freedom. And by more freedom, Tony meant he was allowed to have steamy make-out sessions with Steve again without feeling like absolute shit.

Which was why Steve was currently on top of Tony in their bed kissing him senseless.

It had been so long since they were able to do anything like this and both parties were more than happy to be at this point. Hands slowly began to wander and Steve found himself gently grinding down on Tony while Tony's hands fisted themselves in Steve's hair. Tony let loose these sweet little sounds and Steve began to feel bold. Maybe tonight was the night they finally moved on a bit from just kissing.

"God Anthony. You're so perfect." Husked Steve as he trailed kisses down Tony's neck.

"Please, Steve." Whined Tony as his breathing picked up.

"Please what Darlin'?"

"Please touch me." And that had Steve grinning and kissing Tony even harder.

Contrary to popular belief, Steve was no blushing virgin. He'd learned everything in the back allies of Brooklyn in the 1930s while Bucky covered for him. He knew what he was doing when it came to pleasure. He may have been small back then but he had a very nicely sized dick. That wasn't the serum. That was all Steve. Plus, Steve currently had a whole lot of pent up sexual energy. He hadn't had sex since arriving in the future and there was only so much he could do with his left hand. Having Tony here with him, ready and wanting, this meant everything to Steve.

"Just close your eyes for me, sweetheart. Close your eyes and just listen to my voice. I'll make you feel good darlin'. Just let me know if there's anything you don't want me to do." Cooed Steve, his Brooklyn accent slipping through a bit.

Tony nodded and did as he was instructed.

Steve started by just running his hands over Tony's chest while peppering his face with kisses. Tony sighed and wound his arms around Steve's shoulders so he could hold him close. His eyes remained closed as per Steve's instructions.

"God Tony. The things I want to do to you." Whispered Steve as he slowly pulled Tony's and his pants off.

The cold air hit their erections and sent shivers down their spines. Steve quickly leant over and opened up his bedside table and grabbed a bottle of lube. Even if they weren't having penetrative sex yet he wanted Tony to be comfortable. He wanted to take things slower with Tony to make sure they were both comfortable. Plus lube is important. Steve drizzled some lube on his hand and took his and Tony's lengths in his hand. Broth groaned out at the feeling and Steve started a slow pace.

"Maybe someday I should tie you up. Keep you safe and bound while I make love to your body. Maybe you can ride me or I can have you on your stomach so I can watch that pretty ass of yours. Make you feel so good, baby." Breathed Steve as he sped up his movements. He could feel Tony beginning to tense up and his face was painted in pure bliss.

"Steeeeve." Moaned out Tony and Steve kissed him sweetly while tightening his grip on their cocks.

"Do you need to cum baby doll? I want you to cum for me, Anthony. Want to see you come undone." Commanded Steve as he thrust his hips down into Tony's to add to the delightful pressure building.

Tony cried out as he spilled between them. The sight was beautiful and Steve quickly followed. Tony tried to get his breathing under control while Steve grabbed some tissues from the bedside table. To clean them up a bit. They could wait till the morning to shower. Steve laid down on his back once he was done and gently pulled Tony onto his chest, careful not to jostle his leg.

"Fuck Tony. You're so perfect. So good for me." Cooed Steve and Tony smiled at the praise.

"You're good for me too Steve. Don't know where I'd be without you by my side."

Tony ended up falling asleep with his head pillowed on Steve's chest. Steve just held him close with a very dopey smile on his face. Seeing Tony just give in to the please Steve was giving him, seeing Tony give his trust to him, it was amazing. Steve knew he wanted to move things forward with Tony. Wanted to take things to the next step. But he wanted to do it right. He wanted Tony to be out of his cast. He wanted to take him out on a nice date. He wanted to show Tony just how much he truly meant to him.

Steve fell asleep thinking of all the ways he would get Tony to smile.

* * *

So, What did everyone think? It's been a hot minute since I've written any smut so I hope I did alright. Also, Tony with a tiny little kitten. What's not to love? I think we can all agree that it's adorable. And, do not fret, Steve will be getting his good doggo in the future.

Also, fun fact. I have two cats. I have an orange tabby is named Cheddar as you may recall from a note a few chapters ago. We call him McScreamy and he likes being a dick outside. My other cat is named Kate and she has so many nicknames that I've lost count of them. We mostly call her Bitchy because she's a bitch who thinks it's funny to hide at the bottom of the stairs at night to pounce on people but then gets mad when we accidentally step on her because she's a back and brown tabby and hard to see in the dark.

I'll see you soon. -Shadows (PS. Next chapter is like 90% smut)


	12. Falling together

Another heads up, this chapter is nsfw af! The beginning is fine and I'll add a break before the porn starts. I'll see you at the end.

* * *

By the end of September Tony was finally freed from his cast and he couldn't have been happier. Sure, he still had to go through physiotherapy, but he was finally able to wash his leg. Although, Tony did take some sick joy in chasing Clint around the Tower with his stanky ass cast once it was removed.

Having the cast off also gave Tony some more freedom. Like the freedom to actually attend a very important press conference without feeling like the press would chew him out for having Steve help him walk around. And this was a pretty big press conference.

While Tony had been barred from physical activity while he healed, he'd had plenty of time to do some inventing. Or, well, some finalization of things. Back when Stane had Tony under his control, Tony was pretty much relegated to make weapons. Sure, he was really good at making things that go boom, but Tony had always had more of a passion for robotics.

This press conference was something that Tony was actually looking forward too and that was saying something. This was something that started as a little pet project that Tony had started in 2007 in his very limited spare time. H would have finished it all sooner but Afghanistan happened, then Vanko, then New York, and honestly Tony had been swamped. But, now he had actual downtime and a team that had his back it was the perfect time to unveil his newest invention. Early October seemed like the perfect time to do so.

So, with the rest of the team just off stage and Pepper's approval, Tony stepped out on the stage to tell the world what he had done.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why I've called this press conference. I'll cut right to the chase because, if I'm being honest, I'm really excited about this." Smiled Tony as he looked out over the crowd of reporters.

"You see, I've been working on this project for years and it's finally in the phase where we're going to be building and testing out in the open. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to NESSY! Or the Deep Ocean Garbage Eater." Announced Tony and an image appeared on the screen of a serpent-like robot with multiple filtration and garbage catching systems. Everyone oohed and awed over the new creation.

"Now, NESSY is designed with AI technology to hunt down and remove garbage from the ocean leaving the fragile ecosystems in tacked." Explained Tony.

He kept on talking and answering questions for another half hour, answering questions and explaining the science behind the new invention for the more scientifically inclined. Steve just stood off to the side with the rest of the Avengers. He felt nothing but pride for his fella. Tony had been dealing with so much shit from the press, it was high time that there was some good news going around. He just knew he had to do something special to celebrate.

Once the press conference finished and Tony walked off the stage he went running into Steve's outstretched arms.

"I'm so proud of you Tony." Smiled Steve as he spun Tony in a circle. Tony smiled back. Everyone else offered their congratulation as well. This was a big deal and it had gone amazingly.

"I'm so taking you out tonight to celebrate." Said Steve as he gave Tony a sweet little kiss.

"What's the dress code?" asked Tony as everyone began walking back to the upper floors of the tower.

"Casual, so your punkness will do just fine."

Two hours later the two were speeding away on Steve's bike to a cute little diner Steve had found in Queens. Neither could keep the smiles from their faces as they walked into the diner together, hand in hand. They sat down and ordered and Steve took the opportunity to snap a sneaky picture of Tony while he was laughing at a stupid joke Steve had made.

capamericaofficial I don't know what I'd do without you by my side. I'm so happy that you chose to be with me. I'm proud of you Tony, never forget that.

Steve put his phone away just in time for Tony's laughing to calm down a bit. The two spent the time talking and laughing. Steve couldn't take his eyes off of Tony. He looked so beautiful even in the dim light of the diner. His big doe eyes were sparkling with laughter. His hair was fluffy from running his hands through it. Tony just looked perfect. Steve tried not to stare at his wonderful boyfriend for too long. He didn't need to have an erection in public.

But, then again, who could really blame him? Tony was a catch and Steve felt lucky t have him.

He also felt a little bit possessive. As proud as he was of Tony for all his achievements, he hated how people tended to treat Tony like a piece of meat. Tony was so much more than a genius with a beautiful body. Tony had a beautiful soul. He cared deeply and loved deeply even after all the shit he'd been through. Tony was amazing and Steve knew he had to let the world know that nobody would be messing with his fella.

Soon the couple finished up and headed back home. The whole ride back, Steve was acutely aware of Tony's hands holding onto his hips and the rumble to the bike beneath them. Tony and Steve hadn't moved much further in their relationship since that spontaneous night when Tony still had his cast. Steve was very much in favour of moving things on. He just hoped that Tony was too.

UMTB

Once they got back to their room, Steve had Tony pressed up against the wall and kissed him until Tony was seeing stars. Both allowed their hands to wander. Tony wound his in Steve's hair and pulled slightly causing Steve to moan and kiss Tony deeper. Steve let his hands travel over Tony's hips. He squeezed at Tony's ass causing the smaller man to keen and break the kiss.

"Steve." Breathed out Tony and Steve pulled Tony's left leg up against his hip.

"Gonna make you feel so good tonight darlin'. Gonna made you scream for me." Husked Steve as he smiled over Tony's kiss swollen lips.

"Please."

And that was it. That little "please" that broke all of Steve's control. He scooped Tony up into his arms, kissing him the whole way to their shared bed. He laid Tony gently in the centre of the bed before tearing off his shirt and joining tony on the bed. Steve pushed his hands under Tony's shirt to remove the offending garment. But, one the shirt was gone Tony became self-conscious and covered his chest.

"Tony baby, it's alright." Cooed Steve as he held Tony sweetly.

"It's not. I'm covered in scars. It's ugly." Murmured Tony and Steve kissed his forehead.

"It's not ugly sweetheart. To me it's beautiful. They're proof that you've lived. It's proof that you're here with me. I love you, Anthony. You don't need to hide from me."

"I still don't like them. Makes me feel weak." Whispered Tony.

"You're not weak Tony. You are so, so strong. You are so strong and I couldn't imagine anyone else at my side."

"You mean it?"

"Let me show you just how much I mean it." Cooed Steve as he laid Tony back down and began kissing down his neck.

Steve took great pride in slowly getting Tony to relax as he explored his chest. He gave attention to each scar, making sure to kiss the skin and shower Tony with love. But soon enough, both he and Tony were getting more and more worked up. It was time to move on to the next step. Steve teased off Tony's pants and boxers before Kissing Tony on the lips once again as he reached into the bedside table for the lube.

As they continued to kiss, Steve removed his own pants and boxers. He put the lube down for a second to pinch at Tony's nipple while gently sucking the other into his mouth. Tony moaned loudly as his hands scrambled to find purchase on Steve's shoulders.

"That's it, baby. Let me take over. Let me make you feel good." Preened Steve as he kissed down Tony's chest while slowly pushing his legs open.

Tony let Steve push his legs apart. He finally felt ready for Steve to take him fully. Tony trusted Steve and he knew that Steve would keep him safe. He was ready. Tony moaned a little as Steve kissed over his hips and thighs. Steve was worshipping his body like Tony was his salvation. He was so entranced with the feel of Steve all over his body that Tony failed to hear the click of the lube cap, but he sure as hell felt Steve's slicked up fingers circling his rim.

"Steeeeve."

"Shh darlin'. Just relax. I'll make you feel so good. So, so good."

Steve slowly pushed one finger into Tony's body while holding his hips down with the other. Tony was in a state of pure bliss as Steve took him apart. Their kisses were full of heat and Steve slowly began to add more and more fingers. By the time Steve had four fingers in, Tony was already incoherent with pleasure.

"You ready for me baby? You want me inside you. Fuck you look so perfect underneath me." Growled Steve and Tony nodded. He was feeling so worked up and he needed Steve.

Steve carefully removed his fingers and slicked up his cock with lube. He didn't want to hurt Tony. All he wanted to do was give him please while showing the world that Tony was his. As Steve slowly pushed into Tony's needy hole, Tony screamed in pleasure while Steve moaned and crushed their lips together.

Steve started out with a sweet, slow pace. He wanted Tony to feel every inch of him. He wanted Tony to feel how much he loved him. He wanted Tony to know how much he cared. Hands wandered and the room filled with the sounds of skin on skin. Steve took the time to look at Tony as he moved within him. His face and chest were a dusted pink. His eyes were glazed with pleasure. Tony looked simply divine and Steve couldn't help himself as he thrust in harder. Tony screamed and scratched at Steve's back as Steve hit his prostate and Steve smiled. This was perfect.

"Feels… feels so… so… good Steve." Stuttered Tony as he threw his head back.

"What feels good baby? Tell me."

"Your cock Steve! Your cock!" cried out Tony and Steve sped up and held Tony down. He had complete control and Tony loved it.

Tony felt so perfect around Steve. He was so wonderfully tight and the noises he was making just spurred Steve on. Tony was just so blissed out and the emotions in the room were so strong that tears started to fall from his beautiful eyes as his body tensed up. He knew he was going to cum soon, and Steve wasn't doing much better. All it took was one well-placed thrust from Steve for Tony to come undone.

"Steeeeeeve!" Shouted Tony as his eyes rolled back in his head and he went limp under Steve.

Steve followed just seconds later as Tony squeezed around him. He had to catch himself so he didn't collapse on Tony and hurt him. As much as Steve would have loved to stay buried in his lover, he could feel Tony shaking a bit beneath him and Steve knew he had to made sure that Tony was alright.

"Shh Anthony. It's alright. I've got you." Cooed Steve as he pulled out of Tony with a groan. He pulled Tony into his arms and gently kissed over his face until Tony calked down a bit. He could tell that Tony was exhausted after their coupling so Steve took it upon himself to clean the two of them up. By the time Steve was done, Tony had been lulled to sleep by his gentle touches.

Steve smiled as he looked at Tony sleeping peacefully in their bed. How he had ended up with someone so perfect, so beautiful was beyond Steve but he thanked his lucky stars every day for having Tony in his life. Steve climbed back into bed and pulled Tony back into his arms. He was never letting Tony go. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Tony. He wanted love and a family and he knew he wanted that with Tony.

The two slept better that night than they ever had. No nightmares plagued them. Only dreams of love and lust.

* * *

So, what did everyone think? I know it's not my best smut but I think I did ok. Nest chapter is also smutty and then we get back into the big, big plot. We all love plot, especially when it involves some surprises made out of love and an annoying god. So, I went to my city's local climate strike today. There was such a big turnout and there were people there of all ages and backgrounds. It was amazing. We all need to stand up to the politicians to protect our Earth. I'll see you soon. -Shadows


	13. Waking up to you

Once again this chapter is nsfw. It's the last one for a while. But, at the end we have some plot! I'll see you at the end.

* * *

Steve was having an amazing dream. He had Tony naked and wanting under him as they made love. Tony looked so blissed out and happy and Steve felt amazing. So amazing that he woke up with quite the hard-on. Steve felt a little disoriented as he woke up. The dream felt so real and Steve wanted it to be more than anything. But, as his brain rebooted and he looked around, he was greeted to the sight of Tony, naked and sleeping beside him while Steve spooned up against his back.

Steve smiled and pulled Tony in closer. Last night had been real. He and Tony had really had sex together and it had been beautiful. Tony had been so sweet and Steve loved every second of it. The memory would be theirs to treasure forever.

Pulling Tony in closer had the added problem of Steve accidentally grinding his erection against Tony's backside. He tried to stifle his moan but failed, waking Tony up. Tony yawned as he was awoken but didn't try to pull away. Actually he pushed himself back further into Steve.

"Morning Honey." Smiled Tony and Steve kissed over his neck.

"Morning Darlin'." Husked Steve. He wound his left arm underneath Tony to hold his chest while the other ran up and down Tony's leg.

"Last night was amazing sweetheart. What do you say to another round?" asked Steve as he felt Tony melt under his gentle touch.

"I'd say I'm more than ready for more with you Stevie."

"Good." Smiled Steve as he reached for the discarded lube bottle.

Steve set it to the side and used his left hand to grab at Tony's chest while his right slowly jacked Tony off. He wanted Tony to feel nice and relaxed. He just loved the noises Tony made. They were music to his ears. Once he was sure that Tony was relaxed he reached back with his right hand and pulled Tony's leg over his hips and fingered at Tony's hole.

"Fuck Tony. You're still loose from last night. Fuck you're so perfect." Swore Steve as he lubed up his fingers.

It didn't take much for Steve to get Tony nice and open for him. He knew Tony would be a bit sore today so he made sure to be thorough in his prep even though he was anxious to get to the main event.

When Steve pushed into Tony once more it was like heaven all over again. Tony was just so deliciously tight and wet around him, and the sweet little sounds he was making were hitting Steve in all the right places. Both knew that they wouldn't really last that long.

Tony was the first to finish. He came with a silent scream and heavy breaths as Steve followed close behind. Bother were shaking from the intensity of it all. All the emotions, all the love, it made every nerve flicker to life. A fire burned between them and it made every sensation feel just so much better.

After a moment Steve carefully pulled out of Tony and rolled onto his back before he pulled Tony into a sweet, slow kiss. Morning breath be damned. Steve was going to cherish every moment he had with his fella and he wouldn't let anything stop that. He already knew that Tony was it for him. Nothing would ever change his mind.

UMTB

After they had calmed down a bit from their activities Steve carried Tony over to the shower. They really needed one after what they had done. They let the water cleanse away their worries as they spent more time making out then getting clean. Steve just loved holding Tony. They just fit so perfectly together. Eventually, though, they had to get out. Their skin was getting wrinkly and Tony was having a harder time tolerating the water on his face. He had a slight fear of water after being waterboarded in Afghanistan.

They both got dressed in soft, comfy clothes. There weren't any big plans for the day and Tony didn't have any lab work so it was perfect for a relaxing day for working in the living room curled up with Acorn.

When the two of them finally made it to the kitchen to get some breakfast they were greeted by the smiling faces of their friends. All of them zeroed in on Tony's neck which was covered in hickeys.

"Well, by the looks of things I'm glad the walls are soundproof." Joked Clint and Natasha slapped him upside the head.

Tony just blushed indignantly while Steve hugged him and piled their plates full of food. They'd worked up an apatite after all. They all ate and joked together for a while, nobody really that eager to get up and break the fun they were having. So, Steve being the leader he was, decided to make the day a mandatory team bonding day. That way they could claim "Official Avengers Business" if they got called away.

They ended up all sitting in the living room watching bad movies and talking about their plans for Halloween. Tony and Clint were the most excited about the holiday, and as they explained it to Thor he got all riled up too. The team had decided to throw a little party of their own with all their friends and some of the SHIELD agents they had made friends with. There was going to be candy, and games, and bad horror movies! This was going to be great.

By some miracle, Rhodey was available to come to the party. Tony was over the moon. It had been a hot minute since the two had seen each other and they both had stories to tell. Steve was excited over how excited Tony was. When Tony was all smiles and excited, Steve was too.

As for costumes, Tony and Steve decided to do a cheesy couples costume. Clint teased them about it and Bruce had a good laugh when he saw them, but in the end, it was all in good fun and everyone was smiling. They'd dressed up as discount versions of Woody and Buzz from Toy Story. It just seemed right.

The night itself was great. Everyone had a good time. Thor took a particular joy in bobbing for apples and eating as much sugar as he possibly could. At some point, Rhodey and Nat got into an arm wrestling competition that almost broke a table. Nick Fury showed up dressed as a pirate per Maria Hill's insistence and nobody would really believe their eyes. If JARVIS hadn't gotten a picture none of them would have believed that it happened.

Everyone seemed to dance and eat the night away. The Avengers had taken turns baking treats the day before so they had plenty of treats to snack on. It almost seemed like too many treats. When Tony went to bed he felt fine, if not a little bit full of sugar. It was nothing he couldn't handle. But, he ended up waking up around 6 am feeling stupidly nauseous. Tony ended up hunched over the toilet while Steve rubbed his back. He was a little concerned but Tony felt alright afterwards. So, neither of them worried about it for the rest of the day.

It was probably just the candy anyway.

* * *

So, what did everyone think? I wonder what's up with Tony. Well, I know what's up with Tony. I'm the one doing the writing here. Also, I fucking love Halloween. It's always been my favourite holiday. You get to dress up and eat candy and watch bad movies and nobody will judge you for doing it. It's great! Well, I guess I'll be seeing you soon. I have a job interview really soon so I guess the tone of the next chapter will probably reflect on how that goes. See you next chapter. -Shadows


	14. Expecting the unexpected

Hey ho! A little warning for this chapter. This one deals with the loss of agency and body autonomy on Tony's part as well as dealing with consent issues and the nasty evil scum that is Obadiah Stane. Also TW for rape mention. It's small but I don't want y'all to get caught off guard. Don't say I didn't warn you. I'll see you at the end.

* * *

It wasn't just the candy.

Almost everyday for over a week, Tony had woken up feeling nauseous and needed to throw up. And it wasn't just in the mornings. Sometimes certain smells would set Tony off. There was one afternoon where Clint was making a bacon sandwich for lunch and the smell was so off-putting that Tony was sent running for the bathroom. What made it worse was that normally Tony bacon, but now he couldn't stand the smell of it.

That was what made Steve drag him down to medical. At first, the nausea could have been explained away by candy or a stomach bug, but it had been going on too long and Tony was suffering for it. He needed a doctor and Steve was going to make sure he got one. So, with much protesting, Steve literally dragged Tony to medical to get checked out. He could understand Tony's aversion to medical but Steve knew that Tony's health was important, hence the dragging.

"So, what seems to be the problem? Asked the doctor once Tony was wrangled onto the medical table.

"He's been throwing up every morning for over a week and certain smells have also set him off." Explained Steve as Tony stubbornly refused to talk.

The doctor did a few standard tests before suggesting a blood test. Tony hated every second of that. He hated needles but he knew better than to move around when the doctor was trying to draw blood. He'd just end up in more pain. Steve helped a bit by holding his hand but it still sucked.

While the blood was being tested the doctor decided to do an ultrasound of Tony's abdomen just to make sure that everything looked alright. Tony jumped a bit at the cold gel on his stomach which caused Steve to laugh a bit. That got Tony smiling a bit before he began to gag at the smell. After a moment of looking around, they hit a bit of a snag.

"That's not right." Commented the doctor and everyone looked concerned.

"What's not right? What's wrong?" asked Tony as he tried not to panic.

"I'll have to confirm with your blood test but you seem to have a fully functional uterus and it also looks like your about 4 weeks pregnant." Spoke the doctor.

"Nice try doc, but I've had full-body scans before and I can tell you right now that this isn't possible." Snarked Tony as he tried to hide the fear he was feeling.

"But all those scans were before Loki decided to keep hitting you with spells. He did hit you in the stomach in the last fight…" trailed off Steve as the situation dawned on them. Loki had done this. If they got proof of this change then they knew exactly who to blame.

The blood test came back positive for pregnancy.

Tony threw up at the news. Well, he didn't throw up because of the news. He threw up because the smell of the gel was getting to him. Steve was there rubbing his back and offering comfort while the doctors scrambled in and out of the room with equipment. It was driving them all crazy.

To say that the doctors were confused was an understatement. They were poking and prodding at Tony and Tony was feeling like a lab rat while unable to process his own emotions on everything. Eventually, Steve told the doctors that they needed to leave for a moment so that he and Tony could actually talk this though. They didn't need the doctors trying to influence Tony's decision.

And this was 100% Tony's decision.

The two sat in silence for a bit. Steve had sat down on the bed next to Tony and just help him as Tony tried not to cry. He was feeling so many different emotions. He was scared, first of all. This was something life-changing. This was something that in a normal world should never have happened. Tony was also scared of making the wrong decision. Tony was also feeling violated. This was twice now that Loki had made significant changes to his body without his consent. He was tired of others making choices about his body for him. That had been happening his whole life and it made him feel sick.

"What's going on in that head of yours sweetheart?" asked Steve as he hugged Tony, giving him what comfort he could. Tony sighed and leant into Steve for comfort.

"I just hate how it feels like all my choices are being taken away. Nobody even asks what I want to do with my own body. You're the only person who has. Shouldn't I have control over my own body? If that was true then so many things wouldn't have happened." Rambled Tony as a few tears fell from his eyes.

"Maybe Sunset would have never pressured me. Maybe I wouldn't have listened to Stane about how being a playboy would have made Howard proud. Maybe I wouldn't be stuck with an invasive hunk of metal in my chest. Maybe Stane wouldn't have tried to…"

Tony was starting to get panicked as he mentioned Stane. It hurt Steve to see Tony like this. The scars Stane left behind ran deep and they still affected Tony. Tony had told Steve what had happened the night Stane died. Steve felt his horror as Tony described what it was like to be paralyzed and have his heart stolen from him. Tony had described it as rape without the sex. It was horrifying to listen too. Knowing all of this information now it made perfect sense why Tony was scared about continuing to loose his agency even now.

"I realize now that he was just grooming me for his own usage." Finished Tony once he'd gotten out of his head a bit more.

"He can't hurt you anymore Anthony. He's dead and he can't hurt you." Soothed Steve, but Tony still had more to say.

"And now there's this whole thing with Loki. He's fucked with my body twice now. He's taken my choices away from me. He's taken my years away from me. He's forced me into a situation that I don't know how I feel about because of my shitty past. I don't know what to do anymore. I just want to make my own decisions regarding my own body. Why is that so hard for the world to understand?"

That was when Tony really started crying. Steve just held him close and cried too. He cried for all the hurt Tony had had to endure. It just wasn't fair. So, while Tony cried for Tony, Tony cried over his own pain and confusion. He wasn't sure what he should do about all of this. On one hand, he could end all of this and he knew that Steve would support him. This was potentially dangerous. But, in Tony's heart, he knew he couldn't give up on all of this. Tony had always wanted a family of his own. He'd wanted a fresh start. He'd wanted a life full of love. Maybe with Steve at his side, Tony could finally have that.

Tony's right hand unconsciously went down to rest over his stomach. There was a new life growing there. A better future then the one he'd been promised long ago was resting inside him. Even though Tony was scared, he felt hopeful. Hopeful that things would continue to get better. That life would be brighter.

Steve looked down and saw where Tony's hand was resting. He took the opportunity to rest his hand there as well, right over top of Tony's. This was Tony's decision and Steve vowed that he would support Tony no matter what he decided.

"Steve," spoke Tony after a while. "I want to keep the baby. Even if this is all Loki's fault we still made this baby out of our own love. I don't want to fail before this has even begun."

"Tony, you won't fail. This is your decision and I'll support you 100% the entire time. If you want to keep the baby then I'll be right there with you. I'll be with you through all the weird cravings and late nights. I'm not going to leave your side." Declared Steve and Tony began crying anew.

"Thank you." Whispered Tony and Steve continued to hold him close. They were going to be parents and they were going to do this all together. Steve wasn't going to be some deadbeat dad and just up and leave. He loved Tony, and even though he'd only just gotten the news, Steve knew that he would love this baby just as much.

Once the doctors were back in the room, Tony told them what he wanted to do. Although some of them looked confused and tried to talk Tony out of keeping the baby, Tony stood firm with Steve's supports. The doctors who genuinely wanted to help were kept around so they could work out a game plan for things going forward. Tony still looked scared as they talked about the risks and the things that would need to change. The no coffee and no Iron Man thing was the worst. Tony didn't know how to function in the morning without coffee and the world needed Iron Man.

"Anthony sweetheart, the world may need Iron Man, but the world also needs Tony Stark. I need you. It's alright to be selfish with this. This is your health we're talking about. We have a strong team to handle the villains. I just need you to be strong for yourself."

After about another hour of being poked and prodded and talked to, Tony and Steve could finally leave medical with a very strict list of do's and don'ts. They immediately when back to their room to just take a moment to relax. The whole morning had been so stressful and they needed a break. They ended up taking a shower together to wash away the scent of medial and sick. The warm water had the added benefit of relaxing their tense muscles and adding some calmness to the room.

"We'll need to tell our friends." Spoke up Tony once the two had gotten situated and comfortable in bed.

"Later. Right now I just want you with me. Want to keep you with me."

They both slept fitfully that night but at least they had each other.

The next day, after lots of discussion on what to do, Steve called a team meeting. They all gathered in the living room and took up their usual spots. Tony and Steve shared the couch, Bruce was on the armchair, Thor and Natasha took over the beanbag chairs, and Clint was perched on the back of another armchair. They all looked a bit confused over why Steve had called a meeting and why Tony was looking like he was about 10 seconds away from throwing up.

"So, uh, I guess we'll just jump right into it?" spoke Tony and Steve nodded and held his hand for support. "So, um, yesterday Steve dragged me to medical because I've been feeling sick for over a week now."

"Wait!" interrupted Clint, "You're not dying are you?"

"No, I'm not dying. But I will have to go off of active duty for a while." The others looked back at Tony in confusion. Tony always tried to join in the fight, even when he was injured. For Tony to be backing out, even if it was for a little while, meant that this was important.

"What's wrong Tony? It's not like you to back out of the fight." Asked Nat and Tony looked down at his hands.

"I don't know if you guys will believe me. But, considering all the crazy shit that's gone down in the past two years especially concerning me this whole thing isn't completely out of the realm of possibility." Sighed Tony and everyone was all ears. Steve squeezed his hand before Tony continued.

"So, um, when I was in medical yesterday they ran a whole bunch of tests including a blood test and an ultrasound just to see what was making me sick. And, well… When we last fought Loki he hit me in the stomach with a spell that gave me a uh… a uterus. And when Steve and I finally got together I uh... Well… I'm now pregnant." Stuttered Tony. It still felt weird to say it out loud.

The room was shocked. Nobody really knew what to say. This whole thing sounded ridiculous, but then again, they were the Avengers. Weird shit happened to them at least once a week. But, the fact that this had happened to Tony made things a little more upsetting. Tony had been through so much he really needed a break. Hopefully, he'd be getting one.

"This is just like some fucked up fan fiction bullshit." Gasped Clint in an attempt to break the awkward silence in the room. That caused a little bit of a laugh and the room felt less stuffy.

"So what are you going to do?" asked Bruce.

"I'm going to keep the baby. That's why I can't go on active duty. It just wouldn't be safe."

"CONGRATULATIONS!" shouted Thor as he got up to hug the pair of expecting parents. Everyone else quickly joined in and let Tony and Steve know that they would be there if they ever needed help throughout this whole journey.

After a nice big lunch with the team, Tony and Steve went down to the lab. They needed to tell Pepper, Happy, and Rhodey and the best way to do that would be with a video call. Sure, Happy wasn't the most technologically savvy when it came to video calls but if he was with Pepper then he'd be fine. He was the Forehead of Security after all.

"Hey, guys." Spoke Tony once the group call connected. He tried to smile but it looked forced and everyone picked up on it.

"What's going on Tones? It's not often that you call all of us at once." Asked Rhodey and Pepper and Happy nodded.

"So um, remember when I broke my leg because Loki disabled my suit and then launched me off of a roof because he hit me in a stomach with a spell?" they all nodded. "Well, we found out what the spell did."

"So, what was it?" asked Happy looking a bit concerned.

"Well, um…" stuttered Tony and Steve gave him a hug for comfort. This wasn't an easy situation to talk about. "Well, the spell gave me a fully functioning uterus and when Steve and I got together I fell pregnant. So, um, I'm pregnant."

Happy, Rhodey and Pepper were just as shocked as the team was when they got the news. This was just a strange situation, but they all knew that Tony was telling the truth. This was serious and Tony was physically incapable of lying. So, they just had to make sure that they were there for Tony moving forward.

"Are you going to keep the baby?" asked Pepper as delicately as she could. Tony nodded. He understood where the question was coming from.

"You sure it's not Loki's kid?" joked Rhodey, but it was still a valid question.

"Yes, the times don't match up. My bun in the oven is at least 50% all American apple pie and 50% genius."

"Well, I guess congratulations are in order." Smiled Pepper. "I take it you'll want to keep this a secret for a little bit."

"For a while yes." Replied Steve. He could tell that Tony was getting tired of talking. "We don't really want the public knowing until we have more information and a game plan."

They all ended up talking for a little bit longer with Happy and Pepper making plans to come and visit within the next week and Rhodey promising to visit in a month when he had time off. They all gave Tony their congratulations before signing off.

Tony and Steve spent the rest of the day just being together. There wasn't much talking, but their touches and emotions said all the words that they didn't need too. They had each other and neither were leaving. They were in this together, no matter what.

That night, Steve found that he couldn't sleep. There was a lot going on in his mind. First off, he was worried about Tony. This was life-changing and he was scared that something bad would happen. Tony already had pretty bad morning sickness, what if it got worse? Second, Steve was scared for the baby. This was such an unusual situation and Steve prayed that nothing bad would happen to his and Tony's baby. And that brought on Steve's third fear. Steve was scared of becoming a father. He didn't have a father of his own growing up. His had died back in WW1 just months before Steve was born. He didn't really have much to go off of. But Steve wanted to do right by Tony and their baby. He wanted to be a good dad. He wanted to keep them safe and happy. He wanted to be the father neither he nor Tony had growing up.

He just wanted everything to be alright.

* * *

So… I didn't get the job. They wanted someone older even though I have the experience. The job market sucks ass. Also, did any of you spot the little reference to my other stony fic More Than He Seems? I thought a callback joke was necessary for all my long-time readers. Also because cat. m. ford pointed something out and I couldn't just not play off of it. Also, what does everyone think about how Tony is taking this? He and Steve are going to love the baby with everything they have, but still. What Loki did was wrong. Very wrong. Well, I'll see you next chapter. -Shadows


	15. Fight for me

Hey there! It's time for a new chapter. Sorry this took longer than normal. You'll find out why soon enough. Also, do you guys like Sam Wilson? Because you're getting Sam Wilson! Enjoy this chapter! I'll see you at the end! Also, bits of dialogue have been taken from CATWS because "On your left" will always be stupidly funny to me. Also sorry that this chapter is a bit dialogue-heavy.

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A couple of days after Tony had gotten the news of the pregnancy he had to go to DC for a meeting with SHIELD. He'd been putting off this meeting for a while so Tony had no choice but to go. Steve bullied his way into attending with him. Tony was grateful. He was still having really bad morning sickness and having Steve there made things easier.

They arrived in DC a couple of days before the meeting at SHIELD HQ so that the two could have some time for themselves before Fury laid everything out on them. They knew it wasn't going to end well as they had to tell Fury why Tony was on stand down for the next year. That wasn't going to end well.

The plus side to being in DC was that Tony and Steve were going to visit Peggy Carter. Steve was excited to see someone from his past while Tony was nervous. In the past few years, Tony had avoided visiting his aunt. It wasn't because he didn't love her or didn't care. Tony loved his Aunt Peggy to the moon and back. He just wasn't visiting because Peggy thought he was Howard. Tony just couldn't handle that. Being reminded of the man hurt, and it hurt even more after Afghanistan and Stane's betrayal.

But, Tony held out hope that this visit would be different. Since the first Loki incident and Tony's subsequent dip in the fountain of youth, maybe, just maybe, Peggy would recognize him. Tony sure hoped so. He'd missed Peggy so much. She was there in some of his darkest moments as a child and she truly cared for him. Plus, with the news of Tony expecting his and Steve's baby, she needed to know. She was family and even though the situation was strange Tony knew she would love having a new baby around.

The walk to the hospice where Peggy stayed felt longer than it actually was. In reality, it was only a few blocks from the hotel they were staying at but for Tony, it felt like walking to the gallows. There was just so much uncertainty about this visit but he knew he couldn't back down. If there was a chance, no matter how small, that Peggy would recognize him, then Tony would take it. Plus, he had Steve at his side and Steve helped make things better.

The two checked in with the head nurse before they were lead up to Peggy's room. They were told that she was having a good day today and that made Tony feel hopeful. When they got to the room the nurse left and Tony took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Who is it?" asked the voice on the other side.

"It's uh… It's your nephew Tony and your old friend Steve." Answered Tony as he opened the door.

"Oh Tony, look at you. Come here and give your Aunty a hug." Smiled Peggy and Tony's heart soared as he ran over and fell into Peggy's arms. Steve followed behind and sat down in one of the spare chairs near the bed.

"I missed you so much Aunty Pegs." Smiled Tony as he slowly removed himself from her arms.

"Then you should visit more. I know I don't mind you visiting."

"The nurse said you were having a good day today. I'm glad you are."

"I'm glad too. Now, I know my memory is a little hazy but aren't you supposed to be 43, not 19?" asked Peggy and Tony looked down a little sheepishly.

"A little while back we had a fight with a god from space names Loki and he made me like this. Sorry for not telling you sooner."

"That's alright dear. I'm sure you've had a lot to deal with when this all happened. Must have been quite the shock." Consoled Peggy and Tony nodded.

"It has been. There have been a lot of adjustments. But Steve here had helped loads." Smiled Tony as he nodded over to Steve.

"That's right. Steve Rogers. I'm so glad they found you. I'm mad that you didn't visit sooner but from what I understand you've been busy."

"A lot has happened since coming out of the ice. The fight doesn't end just because you're tired. We got HYDRA out of SHIELD and Loki's been causing some problems. But it's not all that bad. I've made some really good friends." Smiled Steve and Peggy smiled back. She was glad that Steve wasn't isolating himself from people who cared.

"So Steve, find any pretty young ladies out there?" joked Peggy and Steve blushed. This was weird having his old crush ask him if he was dating while his boyfriend sat not even a foot away.

"Well, I did meet someone. He pretty swells."

"Oh, so you're dating a boy. Who is he? What's his name?"

"Well… his name is Tony and you're currently holding his hand."

"You're dating my Tony! You'd better treat him right Steve Rogers! You hear me. I may be old but I'll still kick you to kingdom come of you break his heart." Steve nodded a bit in fear. He didn't doubt Peggy's claims.

The three continued to talk and catch up for a little bit. It had been a while for everybody and they needed their time together to count.

"Actually Aunty Peggy, there was a big reason Steve and I came to visit." Spoke Tony a bit sheepishly. He was nervous to tell Peggy the news even though he knew that she would be excited about it.

"And what's that my dear?"

"Well, a few months back we had a fight with Loki and he hit me with a spell and nowimpregnantwithstevesbaby!" sputtered Tony and Peggy looked a bit confused.

"What was that Tony? My hearing wasn't what it used to be."

"I'm pregnant with Steve's baby."

There was a silence in the room that had Tony and Steve worried. It wasn't a logical kind of worry. It was completely illogical, but it was fear nonetheless. After a moment, Peggy reached up and pulled Tony into a gentle hug.

"You must be so scared my sweet boy, but don't worry. I'll help out where I can. It may have been a while since I've cared for a baby but I still have good advice. Besides, who else is going to spoil your baby rotten?" smiled Peggy and Tony breathed a sigh of relief. Peggy would be there for him and the baby, things were alright.

Tony and Steve didn't stick around for much longer after that. Well, they wanted to stay but Tony had a meeting with Fury to get to and Steve had to drive him there. Tony could drive himself but he'd been feeling ill for a while and they didn't want to take any chances. So, after a tearful goodbye, Tony and Steve took their leave. They drove off to the new SHIELD HQ and once Tony was on his way, Steve decided to go for a run.

The run started off normal. That was until Steve saw someone else running the same path he decided on. The first time they passed each other, Steve did the polite thing and let the other runner know that he was coming up on his left. That was when Steve got a good look at the other man. He was wearing a light grey Airforce sweater and had his dog tags out. The guy was clearly a serviceman.

The second time that Steve passed him he once again announced that he was coming up on the guys left. That time the guy looked a little exasperated as Steve passed him. So, Steve decided to have a little bit of fun. Every single time Steve passed the man he announced, "On your left", and every time the other man got more and more exasperated in his quest to try and keep up with Steve. It was a little funny. Let it be known that Steve could be a massive troll if he wanted too.

"Dude you just ran like 13 miles in 30 minutes!" huffed out Steve's unwitting running partner as he collapsed against a tree as Steve slowly stopped his pace.

"Well, I had a bit of a late start." Joked Steve thinking back to his morning with Tony and Peggy.

"You should feel ashamed of yourself. Go take another lap. Did you take it? I assume you just took it." Joked the man and Steve smirked.

"What unit you with?"

"58 Pararescue, but now I'm working down at the VA." Smiled the man. "Sam Wilson by the way."

"Steve Rogers."

"I kind of figured. Must have freaked you out coming home after the whole defrosting thing."

"It was a shock for sure. A lot has changed and it took some getting used too. Luckily my fella makes it easier. He's a real man of the future." Smiled Steve as his mind drifted to thoughts of Tony. He really did love him so very much.

"That's right, you're dating Tony Stark. What's that like?"

"It's amazing. I couldn't ask for a better partner. We really understand each other and I feel like that's something important. We've both seen war and destruction. We both know what it's like." Spoke Steve. He just loved talking about Tony. You could tell in his eyes that he had it bad for his fella.

Steve helped Sam to his feet and the two began walking back to the main path. They stopped every few seconds to joke around and for Sam to continue to catch his breath. This was nice. Steve was enjoying this. It wasn't often that he got to talk to someone who understood what it was like in the army. Sure, Steve got to talk to Rhodey, but that wasn't very often because the man was still deployed. Talking to Sam was like a breath of fresh air. Steve could already tell that they were going to be friends.

"Hey there. I'm looking for a smoking hot super-soldier. Have either of you seen him?" came a voice from behind the two.

Steve turned around and was delighted to see Tony standing there. He walked over and pulled Tony into a kiss. His hands went to Tony's waists while Tony's arms snaked around Steve's neck. The two stood there for a moment before breaking apart and smiling.

"Tony! How did you get here?"

"Fury took pity on me and gave me a ride."

"And where is Fury now?"

"Probably back in his evil lair counting his pirate's booty."

The two shared another quick kiss before Tony looked over and saw Sam.

"Hey! I remember you. Sam Wilson, right? From the Falcon EXO-7 program?" smiled Tony as he walked over to shake Sam's hand.

"Correct. It's nice to see you again Stark."

"You still have the wings? If you do you should drop by Avengers Tower sometime. We could use another flier seeing as we're down one for a little while." Suggested Tony and Sam looked surprised.

"I'll have to think about it."

"Well, here's my card. Just give me a call and we can set something up once you make up your mind."

Tony and Steve gave their goodbye's to Sam before they walked off hand in hand back to Steve's car. They had a four-hour drive ahead of them assuming that traffic wasn't a bitch. Once they were in the car Steve started driving while Tony commandeered the AUX chord. Steve didn't even fight that. He'd come to love most of Tony's music over time. He really liked when Tony played ELO or The doors. As they sat there together, battling DC's traffic the two talked about their afternoons and plans for the next day.

"So, what did Fury say about you needing to step back for a bit?" asked Steve once they had made it out of the capital.

"He's pissed that we're down a member but he did offer his babysitting services if we need them on a mission. Gotta say we should take him up on that. Old Nicky used to look after me when I was little and Howard would drag me to SHIELD for the day. He's not a bad babysitter." Smirked Tony and Steve smiled. Who knew that Fury had a soft side!

Once they were back home at the tower. Tony and Steve made a b-line for the kitchen. Although Tony was only 5-6 weeks pregnant the weird cravings were starting to hit. Well, when he wasn't dealing with morning sickness that is. Steve, being the doting partner that he was, had no qualms about getting Tony the food he was currently craving. In fact, because Steve was the equivalent of a human garbage disposal, he and Tony ended up eating the same things no matter how strange they were.

So yes, life at the tower was good. Although there were plenty of fears, Tony and Steve were excited about the baby. Fury and the others were on board and ready to help if Tony needed it. It was good. Having all these people who genuinely cared was good. Tony couldn't believe his luck. He'd grown up rich with money but with only a few people who actually gave a shit about him. Now Tony had a whole host of really good friends and a boyfriend who loved him to the ends of the Earth. It felt amazing to be loved.

Five days later HYDRA attacked.

Sam had called earlier that morning expressing his interest in maybe joining the team so Tony had been down in his lab prepping the area when the call to assemble went out. They all went running to the meeting room where Fury and Hill were on the screen ready to give the team information.

A HYDRA cell had started attacking a SHIELD science outpost in Nevada. The people there weren't equipped to fight and they needed the Avengers help. It was a mad dash to get suited up and the whole time Tony was trying not to panic. He wanted to go and help. He NEEDED to go and help. But, he was pregnant and it was too dangerous. It was scary. He felt helpless. He had to watch Steve go off to the fight while he stayed behind. Now he knew how Pepper had felt. Steve, as he was getting ready, saw how Tony was feeling and went over to talk to him.

"Tony, it's going to be alright. I know you want to help, and you will be able to once the baby arrives but for now I need you safe here. I can't see you get hurt." Stressed Steve and Tony just nodded with his eyes down.

"I know that. I know. It's just, I just feel so useless. You guys are all going out to fight and I'm stuck here."

"You are not useless Tony. And just because you can't fight doesn't mean that you can't help. You have the entire wealth of pretty much anything electronic at you fingertips. I trust you to get us better intel than SHIELD can." Smiled Steve and Tony blushed.

"Just as long as you wear that new helmet I made. It's connected to JARVIS so I can keep an eye on you. I just want you to come home to me." Cried Tony as he launched himself into Steve's arms. Tony was totally blaming the tears on hormones.

"I will baby. I will. I promise." Tony took off soon after to his lab to run intel with little Acorn the kitten following close behind.

Just as the Avengers were about to leave Sam showed up. Everyone was out on the flight deck getting ready to board the jet when Sam showed up with his wings and a smile.

"Well, it looks like something exciting is happening here."

"HYDRA is attacking an outpost in Nevada so we're going to out to take care of that." Explained Steve as the others strapped their gear in. "Actually, Sam, if your wings are working you should come along. We need air support now that Tony is benched."

"Sure, I'll tag along but one question. Why is Stark benched?" asked Sam as he grabbed a few spare guns off of the racks in the jet. He got seated with the others and they took off.

"Tony is pregnant with our baby so he can't go on the field till after the baby is born." Smiled Steve. He felt So much love for Tony and their unborn baby and everyone else could feel it.

Sam didn't even question the situation. Tonnes of weird stuff had happened to the Avengers and this wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

Once the team arrived at the site it was pure chaos. Tony was already giving them as much information as he could while everyone split up to do their jobs. Nat and Bruce were tasked with saving the hostages and the research, Clint too to assassinating HYDRA soldiers from the vents of the place, Sam circled around outside picking off any HYDRA soldiers who tried to escape, and Thor and Steve went in as the heavy hitters. Everything should have gone relatively smoothly. This wasn't anything they hadn't dealt with before. They should have had no problems at all.

That was, until Steve saw him.

At the end of a corridor that Steve had just finished clearing was his long lost friend Bucky in full Winter Soldier mode. They'd been trying to find where HYDRA had been keeping him for over a year after Steve had exposed HYDRA within SHIELD. Seeing him there, standing right in front of him, brought Steve a feeling of hope and of dread.

"Bucky?" asked Steve as he slowly got closer to his friend.

"Who the hell is Bucky?"

Steve was stunned. Sure, he knew that HYDRA had done some pretty serious brainwashing on Bucky, but the fact that he didn't even know his own name just hurt. Steve stood there for a second and the soldier walked closer. To him, Steve was just another target. He reached for his gun and that was when Steve saw it. The metal arm. Sure, Steve had seen it in pictures but the real thing was terrifying. If Tony had taught him anything it was that having metal bonded to skin was invasive and painful. You couldn't see it but Steve knew that Bucky was in pain.

But, Bucky didn't even hesitate. He charged at Steve and Steve knew he had to defend himself. He promised Tony that he would make it back home. He could hear yelling over the coms and he could hear Tony frantically looking for more information on the Winter Soldier to keep Steve safe. This was going to be a difficult fight. On one hand, Steve knew that Bucky wasn't going to pull his punched unless Steve managed to rattle something in that brain of his. On the other hand, Steve didn't want to fight. Bucky was his best friend. His brother. He didn't want to hurt him.

Unfortunately, Steve had no choice. He had to get al least one good hit to the head in to either incapacitate Bucky or to do some cognitive recalibration as Natasha called it. The two ran at each other and began fighting hand to hand. Steve was using his shield to push Bucky back while Bucky ran forward with what honestly looked like a pocketknife. Well, seemed like Howard Stark was wrong once again. HYDRA was attacking him with a pocketknife.

Blows were traded between the two as Steve tried to defend himself while also trying to get a good hit to the head in. But, it wasn't easy. Steve, in his panic about the situation had left his legs open for attack. Bucky took that opening and brought Steve crashing down to the ground. Steve lost his grip on his shield and Bucky started raining blows down on Steve's face. He felt his nose break and his vision got blurry. This wasn't going to end well if Steve didn't do something soon. So, Steve summoned what strength he could and clocked Bucky on the side of the head with his shield.

There was shouting over the coms and a commotion coming from somewhere else in the building but Steve didn't care. All he could see was Bucky's face and the confusion and anger swimming in his eyes. Steve was scared, he wouldn't deny it. He was scared to continue hurting his friend but he was also scared of getting hurt so bad that he wouldn't be able to return home to Tony. So, Steve took a chance and hoped that it worked.

"You're name is James Bucannon Barnes. Your name is Bucky and we grew up together. I won't fight you. You're my best friend." Choked out Steve as Bucky held him by the throat.

Bucky looked shocked and confused for a moment before some semblance of understanding graced his eyes. But, before Steve could say anything else his vision blacked out and he could no longer hear Tony's panicked voice over the coms.

The next time Steve woke up he was in a nice warm bed in medical with Tony curled up at his side. Steve turned his head to look over at Tony and was instantly met with both angry and scared words.

"Steve! What the fuck was that?! You could have died. You should have waited for back up. Thor was on his way. I know Bucky is your friend but I can't lose you. I need you. Our baby needs you!" cried out Tony and Steve sat up to give him a hug.

"I'm so sorry Tony. I didn't know things would get that out of hand. I should have been more careful. I don't want to leave you and our baby." Sighed Steve as he let one of his hands rest on Tony's stomach where their baby was growing.

"You should be thankful you have the serum. You need to stay here overnight but after that, you can come back home. And just know mister, I'm not leaving you alone now."

Steve just nodded and hugged Tony close while their other friends filed into the room and gave Steve the rundown on how the mission went. It had been successful and there were no casualties from the hostages. But, Steve couldn't help but think about Bucky the whole time. Bucky had recognized him there at the end and Steve had to help him. It was possible by what the others were describing, that Bucky had gotten away from HYDRA after the fight. Who knew where he was. All Steve knew was that he had to help but he couldn't leave Tony and their baby.

"We should keep trying to find Bucky. He needs help." Whispered Steve with sad eyes. Tony just hugged him trying to offer comfort like Steve had done so many times for him.

"We'll find him, Steve. We'll find him and get him the help he needs."

There was a moment of abject silence before Sam spoke up.

"I can help you guys look for him. That way you have someone with military training doing the searching and Steve can stay here and be a dad even though I'm still confused as to how the hell that happened."

All eyes turned to Sam and there were some nods in agreement. Sam made some good points. They couldn't have active members searching all the time in case there was an emergency, and Sam had the training to do search and rescue. It made sense.

And just like that, Sam had been made a reserve member of the Avenger so he could help search for Bucky. Once Steve was out of medical they got all the paperwork done so Sam could join. They also had a bit of a party. Steve was nervous the whole time but he still tried to have fun. Although he refused to leave Tony's side. He wasn't going to let anything happen to Tony and their baby.

That night Steve held Tony extra close as they slept. Bucky was already a leaf on the wind and Steve wasn't about to lose Tony as well. At least they finally had some leads to work off of and not just random guesses. Maybe Bucky would be there in time for the birth of his baby. Maybe Bucky could get well enough to be the amazing uncle that Steve knew he could be. Maybe everything would turn out ok.

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EY! That was a bit of a longer chapter then y'all are used to. I hope you enjoyed it. Personally I liked the bit where Tony and Steve were visiting Peggy. I'm shit at writing fight scenes. In other news my country is going to have a major election in 2 weeks and I'm stressed! I really don't want a conservative government. The only thing I can do is go out to vote and make sure that everyone else who has the ability to do so does. The young people outnumber the old this time and we can spark real change if we all work together. Well, that's enough from me. I'll see you next chapter. -Shadows


	16. America is a possessive ass

Hello there and welcome to the next chapter. I don't have too much to say here so I'll see you at the end.

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After the whole HYDRA and Bucky thing, Steve became even more overprotective of Tony and his team. Ending up in medical had done something to Steve. In the past, he hadn't thought much about getting injured in the line of duty. It was a no brainer for him to make the sacrifice play so that the people he cared about could be safe. But now, with Tony being pregnant, Steve knew he had to think about the long term repercussions of his action.

Steve's own father had died in the First World War just a month before he was born. Steve's mother had talked about him often but that didn't help the fact that Steve only ever got to know about his father from stories. It had been hard on him and his mom growing up without Joseph there. Steve didn't want to do that to Tony and their baby. He wanted to be more than a bedtime story.

Steve was determined to be there for his family. And to achieve that goal, some sacrifices needed to be made. Steve knew he still had to go out on missions if they happened. He was the leader of the damn team he had no choice. But, Steve would be delegating more on the field. He trusted his team to get the job done. The Avengers were good people with good heads on their shoulders. Steve trusted them to make the right decisions in a fight. This way Steve could continue his work while also making sure that at the end of the day he would be able to go home to his family. He wasn't going to be an absent father.

One thing that had Steve stressed to high heaven was the fact that Tony's morning sickness was really bad. It was so bad that the slightest thing would set Tony off. He couldn't even be in the same room as everyone else during Thanks-Giving because the smell of meat set him off. Steve felt powerless not being able to do much for Tony. He couldn't magically make everything better. Steve could offer comfort when Tony was throwing up first thing in the morning. He could make sure Tony ate and drank even when he didn't want to. Steve just couldn't make it stop.

Tony's morning sickness also had an effect on his work for SI. Tony was just often too sick to go down to the lab to get work done. It didn't help that Steve would hover around worry. So, because of this, the amount of inventing that Tony got done diminished.

And the board noticed.

Tony wasn't too keen on telling the board that Loki had magicked him a womb and now he was pregnant with Captain America's baby. It was just a crazy situation that he was sure that they would exploit. He didn't want to be used and manipulated the same way that Stane had done. Never again. So, Pepper decided that Steve should also attend the meeting to act as a buffer. Nobody wanted to mess with an overprotective Captain America.

"Stark, this is the second time you've brought your boyfriend to a Stark Industries meeting. This is not acceptable!" shouted the same board member who was causing problems the last time Steve was there.

"Steve's here because he's part of the reason my progress has been lower lately." Said Tony meekly. Well, it wasn't really meekly, Tony was just trying not to throw up.

"What? You too busy being a fag to get work done?"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" shouted Steve as his eyes lit up in anger. "First of all, your language is aberrant. Second of all, I will not let you talk about my boyfriend like that."

Just as Steve finished talking Tony leaned over and threw up into the trashcan he'd pulled over with him. Steve rubbed his back and offered reassurances while the board members looked on in confusion and concern.

"The reason Tony is behind on his work is because Loki hit him with a spell that gave him a womb and now he's pregnant with our baby. His morning sickness had been so bad that He can't always be down in the lab without getting sick." Explained Steve and some of the confused looks turned to understanding. Particularly from one of the older board members, Susan Donahue. She had 3 kids herself as well as 5 grandkids. She understood.

"Freeze some electrolyte solutions so you can suck on them when everything else seems unappealing." Suggested Susan.

Steve nodded his thanks and carefully helped Tony back to their bedroom to lay down. Pepper could deal with the nasty board members. Actually, she took great joy in tearing them a new one when it came to their treatment of Tony.

Three days after the board meeting, Tony was sitting in the middle of the bed crying his eyes out at one of those animal treatment PSAs. He was curled up in fluffy blankets with Acorn cuddled on his lap just watching some cheesy soap opera when the commercial came on. His hormones were going haywire so the only result of all the emotions was tears.

Seeing all those sad animal quickly turned into Tony thinking about his own sad childhood. And when Tony thought about his own childhood it very quickly turned into a downward spiral of self-deprecation and loathing. That never ended well.

And that was how Steve found Tony after JARVIS had called him saying that Tony was in distress. Crying in the middle of the bed with his arms wrapped around his stomach.

"Hey, darlin'. What's wrong? Is everything alright?" asked Steve as he sat on the bed next to Tony and pulled him into a hug.

"I'm going to be a baby parent. I'm going to mess up our baby and you're going to hate me and leave me and I'll be all alone and nobody will ever love me!" cried out Tony.

"Anthony no! That's not true at all. We're in this together. I'm not leaving you. Now what brought this on?" asked Steve as he leant his head on Tony's fluffy hair.

"Howard was a horrible parent. Mom got more distant as I got older and she had to deal with Howard longer. My godfather tried to kill me. I'm the Merchant of Death. All I ever do is royally fuck shit up. I should never be a parent. I should be dead." Tony cried harder and Steve's heart broke. Tony deserved so much better than the hand he had been dealt.

"Anthony darlin', you're not the Merchant of Death, you're the Forger of Life. You create life. Your bots, JARVIS, this baby, all life. You are not a fuck up. You are so much more than your past. You should not be dead. You belong right here with me. You and our baby are my world, Tony. Your my home and I'm never letting you go." Soothed Steve. Tony just nodded and continued to cry.

Steve spent the rest of the afternoon cuddling with Tony and trying to keep him calm and loved. Tony felt a little bit better by dinner but didn't really want to see anybody so Steve brought dinner back to their bedroom. They spent the time going on Google and looking at cute little baby clothes. Tony lost his shit at the amount of one that had horrible puns. Their baby was definitely inheriting Tony's sense of fashion that was for sure.

Tony ended up falling asleep early that night. He was just exhausted from all the emotions happening, plus with the holidays fast approaching he needed the sleep. Steve stayed by his side the whole time, taking the time to catch up with a book he had been reading. Although about an hour in Steve had gotten enamoured with Tony's sleeping form.

Let's just say that Tony wasn't too pleased about the pastel stains on the sheets the next morning.

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Sorry for the sorter chapter. I've been really stressed lately because I've been trying to find work and nobody wants to hire me. Most places don't like the fact that I'm trans and other places want someone who they can exploit into long hours with minimal pay. Other places really don't like the fact that I wear hearing aids. I can hear fine with them in but people don't care. I know work is work but I have chronic illnesses that I need to think about. I'm not going to do anything that makes me sicker. Either way, I'll have the next chapter up shortly. I promise it'll be more substantial than this one. See you soon. -Shadows


	17. Your hands on me

I lied. Sorry, this one is also short. But it's super cute so I hope that makes everything better. I'll see you at the end.

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After Tony's last breakdown Steve barely left his side. Tony still wasn't doing so hot and Steve needed to make sure that he was there for his love. In the past, Tony would have complained about all the attention. But now Tony knew that this all came from a place of love. Tony still couldn't get over the fact that Steve loved him. It was just too perfect. They were in love and having a baby together. Life was so much better then what Tony imagined it would be like as a kid.

Two days before Christmas Tony was getting changed into one of Steve's oversized sweaters for movie night when he noticed it. There was a change in the shape of his stomach. It was only a tiny change, but enough that things were noticeable. Tony was starting to show his baby bump.

Tony slowly rested his hands over the tiny bump. This was his baby. This was his and Steve's baby. There really was life growing there. If Tony had any doubts about this they were gone in an instant. This was his baby and he knew he already loved them with everything he had.

Tony took another moment to enjoy this before he threw on the sweater and made his way out to the other Avengers. Rhodey was there visiting for the holidays and both Pepper and Happy had sent their regards and love. Tony would have liked them there with the rest of his family but he understood that they had families of their own.

As Tony walked over to take his seat curled up next to Steve he contemplated for a moment on if he should tell Steve about the baby bump. In the end, Tony decided to keep the secret for two more days. It would make an amazing Christmas morning surprise. He couldn't wait to see Steve's face. They hadn't gotten a good view from any of Tony's ultrasounds yet so this was a big thing for them.

When Christmas morning arrived Tony was very excited. He didn't have any good memories of the holiday growing up and the fact that he got to spend this one with the people who loved him was better then any present he could ever receive. Everyone was sitting in the living room in tacky Christmas sweaters sipping coffee and hot chocolate while eating breakfast together in front of the tree. It was magical. It was everything Tony wanted as a child and more. He couldn't wait till this time next year to share this feeling with the baby.

Tony hadn't asked for any presents that year. He was more than happy with just being with everyone else. But that didn't stop anyone from spoiling their favourite genius. Most of the other Avengers gave Tony some things for the baby. Yes, it was still early but seeing tiny little baby shoes and some stuffed animals brought a smile to Tony's face. Rhodey had gotten a science pun shirt to carry on their tradition from when they were teenagers. And Steve, Steve had gotten Tony a necklace with a little shield on it made from vibranium from his shield. Tony cried when he put it on. Tony, in turn, had made Steve a photo album of them together as well as fun moments where the team was together. It brought back so many amazing memories.

"I've got one last surprise for you, Stevie." Smiled Tony and Steve looked intrigued.

"And that is it?"

Tony pulled up his shirt a bit and showed off the baby bump. Steve caught on in seconds and gently placed his hands over the bump with wonder and tears in his eyes.

"You're showing." Tony nodded. "That's our baby. That's our baby!"

Steve spent the rest of the day with his hands over Tony's baby bump. Tony didn't mind one bit. They spent most of the day on the couch together with the rest of the team watching cheesy movies while Steve talked to the baby. Everyone thought it was adorable.

A week later Steve was still touching the baby bump whenever he could. He would walk up behind Tony and just wrap his arms around him. It made Tony feel so safe and secure and Tony knew that their baby was also feeling the love.

Steve, because he loved Tony and their baby so much, had a slightly different motive for all the touching. He wanted the world to know that Tony was taken. Tony was his and their baby was his and nobody was ever going to mess with them. Steve needed the world to know that he would fight to the death for his little family. He never thought he'd ever have this and he'd be damned if he was ever going to let it go. The only reason Steve would go was if he became a threat to Tony and their baby. He could never hurt his family.

Speaking of love, Steve had had this idea floating around in his head since Christmas. If Steve had never gone into the ice he would have proposed to Peggy and lived a quiet life with a white picket fence, two kids, and a dog. But that was never going to be his life. But Steve didn't care. What he had with Tony was so much better. But still, Steve knew he wanted to marry Tony. He wanted to propose with a big old ring and flowers. He wanted a wedding where they shared their love. He wanted to show the world that he and Tony truly loved each other. He really wanted this.

But Steve knew he had to wait. If he proposed now it would look like he was just trying to do the right thing and marry Tony before the baby arrived. That wasn't what Steve wanted. So, he would wait till after the baby was born to propose. Plus that allowed time to plan out the perfect proposal. Maybe he could do something fun with their baby once they arrived.

But for now, Steve would just enjoy being with Tony. He'd enjoy the late-night cuddles, the weird pregnancy snacks, and all the sweet kisses they shared together. Steve had time to make sure things were perfect. After all, Tony deserved the world and Steve was determined to give it to him.

* * *

So, thoughts? I thought this one was cute. Who doesn't love a nice dose of fluff? And trust me, I needed it after the weekend I had. Also, Happy Thanksgiving my fellow Canadians. Yes, in Canada we have our Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October. I had lots of pumpkin pie today and I have no regrets. We also had a roast and Yorkshire Pudding because my mom doesn't like turkey. She's crazy. I fucking love turkey. We only get it once a year at Christmas. So, I pinky promise that the next chapter will have a little more meat to it. Pinky promise. I'll see you soon. -Shadows.


	18. Baby blues

Hey there. As promised, here's more plot. Also, make sure to read the endnote I have a small announcement.

* * *

By the time Tony was 15 weeks pregnant, there was no denying that he was growing another human. His baby bump was more noticeable than before and it made going out in public problematic. Tony and Steve wanted to keep the baby a secret for a little while longer. They didn't need the media being vultures and making false claims when it came to their baby or Tony's health. That wouldn't be good for anybody.

Which was why both of them were pissed off when they had to attend the next Maria Stark Foundation Gala.

Pepper couldn't get them out of it. She would if she could but it just wasn't possible. The foundation was Tony's baby and he needed to be there for this event. Steve elected to go as well. He wasn't about to let Tony deal with the crazy socialites on his own. They always wanted something from Tony. Whether that be his money or his body, they didn't care. Steve wasn't about to let anybody mess with his beloved and their baby.

So, Tony and Steve had an early dinner, Tony took some anti-nausea medication that his doctor had given him that was for his morning sickness, and they got ready. Steve was quick to get dressed. He wasn't wearing anything fancy. Just a basic black suit with an American flag print tie that Clint got him as a joke that Tony thought was hilarious. It was easy. Actually, Tony was the one who was having issues getting ready.

"Steve. My shirt doesn't fit right." Commented Tony as he fiddled with the buttons.

Steve looked over and saw exactly what Tony was having trouble with. Tony had been pretty small before he got pregnant so his clothes reflected that. But now, with a growing belly in the way, Tony's dress shirt was sitting a bit awkwardly. It was easily covered by his suit jacket but Steve knew that Tony was feeling a bit self-conscious.

"You look, fine Sweetheart. We'll just have to get you some bigger clothes as our baby grows bigger." Soothed Steve as he walked over and gave Tony a hug.

"But won't people at the gala notice?"

"They might. But I won't let any of the people there put you or our baby in harm's way."

"I love you, Steve."

"Love you too you dork. Now let's get going or Pepper will be mad that we're late."

The ride to the gala was alright. They got to ride in a limousine which no matter how many times Steve rode in one it always felt like a treat. It reminded him of all the big stars and politicians back in the '20s and '30s. They never failed to make Steve feel special. What made it even better was that it was just him and Tony cuddled together in the back.

When they arrived at the gala there were cameras flashing left and right. Steve took great joy in leading Tony up the steps arm in arm like a true gentleman. The headlines would have a field day with those pictures.

Or they would have if the people attending the gala hadn't spotted something else.

Steve guessed that Tony's baby bump was more visible then they'd originally thought because it took no more than 20 minutes before the scathing glances and comments started. Steve was just coming back from the bar after getting Tony a ginger ale to help his nausea when he'd heard one such comment from an older lady.

"You're really starting to let yourself go Mr. Stark. You should take more care or that boy of yours will leave you for someone who looks better."

Steve wanted nothing more than to throw a fit at her words. Tony's face just fell as he heard them and it broke Steve's heart. Tony wasn't getting fat. He was pregnant! Steve wanted to shout that out to get her to stop but he knew better. All he could do was give Tony his drink and offer sweet touches and kisses.

That old lady wasn't the only one to point out Tony's weight. Plenty of people pointed it out when they managed to catch Tony alone. It made Tony extremely uncomfortable and Steve overprotective. He didn't leave Tony's side for the rest of the night. Tony didn't really talk much either. He just fiddled with his cufflinks while Steve fended off all the people who thought they had a right to know about their personal lives.

Once they got home, Steve made sure to reassure Tony that he didn't look fat. He was growing a baby and was going to gain weight. That's just what happens when you're pregnant. Tony still slept uncomfortably. The comments really got to him. Hopefully, Steve wouldn't leave him for someone better looking.

The next morning there were hundreds of articles commenting on Tony's weight. All the unflattering photo angles just made everything look worse. Tony spent the whole day sitting on the floor of the bathroom throwing up and feeling upset about everything. Logically he knew that he wasn't fat. He was pregnant. Steve had told him the same thing the night before. But Tony's head was swimming with worst-case scenarios and he just couldn't see any reason why Steve would stay with a fat pig like him.

Steve absolutely refused to leave Tony's side. He wasn't about to let Tony think all those terrible things about himself. Just before supper, Steve managed to get Tony to eat a little bit even if Tony tried to counter that by saying that he was too fat. Luckily he still ate something. After Steve got Tony to bed and once he knew that Tony was asleep, he called Pepper.

"Steve, how can I help you?"

"You saw what was going on in the news with Tony today?"

"Unfortunately. I've already started brainstorming a way to fix this. I take it Tony's been taking everything pretty hard."

"He has." Sighed Steve. "He barely ate today and was calling himself fat despite the fact that he's now fat, he's growing a baby."

"Tony has always taken other's comments about him to heart. I'm glad he has you. Now, as for the situation at hand, the only feasible solution to get the rumours to stop is to announce the pregnancy. I know that you guys wanted to wait a bit longer but at this rate, Tony won't even be able to leave the tower without people making horrible comments."

"I know." Sighed Steve as he looked back down at Tony. "I just hate that the world is like this. I just want Tony and the baby to be safe and happy."

"I'll leave the exact details up to you and Tony. I'll help where I can."

"Thanks, Pepper. I'll keep you updated. "

With that, Steve ended the call and went about making Tony something a little bit more substantial to eat once he woke up. For Tony's sake he ended up making a salad, but not a boring salad. This one was chock-full of things that didn't taste like the thought of lettuce sitting five rooms away. Once Tony was up Steve made sure that he ate and that Tony felt loved.

"So, I talked with Pepper earlier." Started Steve as he and Tony got ready to call it an early night.

"What did she say?"

"She said we should announce your pregnancy now to stop all the rumours. This way we can control what is going on more. I was thinking of just making a post and going to bed." Tony sighed and curled up next to Steve.

"I really wanted to keep this a secret longer."

"I know sweetheart. I don't like it either. But I promise I'll fight tooth and nail to keep you and our baby safe. I promise."

Tony sighed again and looked down at his and Steve's hands. They somehow found themselves rested over Tony's baby bump, protecting their baby. After a nap and a day of thinking, Tony wasn't feeling as bad about the comments people were making, but he still felt shitty. He just wished that the world would back off and let them live their lives.

"Fine. Make the post. Just make sure it's cute. People eat that shit up."

So, with Tony's permission, Steve posted a couple of photos he had saved on his phone. After finding out that Tony was pregnant Steve had started taking pictures of every little thing to document what was happening. The pictures Steve posted were one of him and Tony smiling together with their hands resting on Tony's baby bump, a picture of one of their latest ultrasounds, and finally, one of Tony smiling holding up an Iron Man onesie that Rhodey had gifted him for the baby. Altogether they looked like any other happy couple making a pregnancy announcement.

capamericaofficial It has come to my attention that there have been some pretty nasty rumours going around about my Tony after last night's charity gala. First of all, no, I'm not leaving Tony. We're very much in love and I don't see anything changing that ever. Second of all, Tony is NOT FAT! During one of our last fights against Loki Tony was hit with another spell that has allowed him to bear children. So, Tony's not fat, that's a baby bump. Tony and I are expecting our first child together and couldn't be more excited. We ask that we be allowed to have our privacy and we'll give updates on our precious baby as we see fit. Thank you all for your understanding. Any tips on dealing with morning sickness would be a blessing.

The comments started pouring in almost immediately but Steve didn't notice. He'd turned off his phone the second he was done and snuggled up behind Tony. All he wanted to do was sleep and cuddle his Tony and baby. So that's what he did.

The media exploded with the news. Surprisingly, the vast majority were very supportive. The world had just become such a crazy place in the last couple of years that nobody even questions that Tony, who was very much a man, was pregnant. In the hours that Tony and Steve slept there were no less than 20 different polls speculating on the baby's gender. There were edits made from the photos Steve posted as well as ones from the gala and plenty of parents had come forward with their tips and tricks for morning sickness.

Sure, there were nasty people who only had mean things to say. There were overly religious people who wanted to damn Tony to hell for being abnormal. But in the end, those people didn't matter. What mattered was the fact that Tony and Steve already loved their baby. They loved each other, they loved their baby, and they loved their strange little family.

Their love was worth more than everything else in the universe.

* * *

Alright, kiddos. Here's the scoop. I'm switching to a once a week upload schedule from now on. With the plot thickening, getting chapters out on Monday and Friday is going to get difficult. Finishing a chapter on Friday and only having three days to get the next one isn't going to work so I'm switching to just uploading when a chapter it's done like I've done with all my other fics. Cool? Cool. Anyway, what did y'all think about the chapter? Old rich people such and need to keep to themselves. But also Steve being a sickeningly sweet BF on social media will always be cute. I'll see you soon. -Shadows.


	19. Congratulations! It's a

No warning here for this chapter. Just fluff and maybe an overabundance of streamers. Place your bets now on the baby's gender and name because y'all are about to find out! I'll see you at the end.

* * *

As Tony's pregnancy progressed his "morning sickness" remained. All the mommy blogs lied about it mostly going away after the first trimester. Tony was still throwing up at least 5 times a day. Steve was worried but Tony's doctor had told them that nothing was dangerous yet. He was still getting enough water and nutrients but they were going to keep an eye on things.

One amazing part of the pregnancy progressing was the fact that Tony could feel the baby moving. Tony's hands barely left his baby bump just so he could feel closer to his baby. It drove Steve mad. The movements were still so small that Steve couldn't feel them yet and he wanted nothing more than to make a connection with their baby.

Luckily Steve didn't have to wait too much longer.

The two were curled up together on the couch watching a movie with Steve's hands gently holding Tony's bump when he felt it. It wasn't a strong kick but it was a kick none the less. Steve's eyes widened and Tony looked up and smiled.

"That's our baby!" spoke Steve in awe. It was kind of adorable.

"That's our baby." Smiled Tony and Steve snuggled in closer.

"Hey, there baby. It's nice of you to say hi. We can't wait to meet you."

Steve spent the rest of the afternoon just feeling the baby kick and telling them all the things they were going to do one they were born. Tony never had any doubts that Steve was going to make an amazing father and it was moments like this that just solidified that thought.

Later that night when the team was all gathered together for a night of boardgames Clint was acting all antsy. He was fiddling with his hands and pulling at the bottom of his sweater while not really making eye contact with anyone else.

"What's got your feathers all ruffled Hawkass? You seem tense?" asked Sam ever the observant one. He was back in town after a lead on Bucky's location went cold.

"Um… I've got something to tell everyone." Sighed Clint and he very quickly had everyone's attention.

"Look, it's not like I wanted to keep this thing a secret from you guys. I trust all of you with my life. It's just that Fury had some rules in place that I couldn't break. This information is delicate and if it gets into the wrong hands shit will go down. But because of the current situation here at the tower, Fury told me that I can tell you guys so we can make a game plan."

"It's nothing dangerous, right?" asked Steve ever the mother hen.

"No, no, no! It's not dangerous. Well, unless you would count stray Nerf darts and not so great meatloaf dangerous." Clint's comment just made everyone more confused.

"So, um… I have a wife and two kids." Everyone but Natasha looked shocked at the news. "Before all of you guys go crazy with the questions let me explain things."

So Clint got to explaining. He talked about the circus and meeting his wife. He talked about joining SHIELD and his son being born. How Fury put very specific protections in place and the repercussions for anyone who broke those protections.

Well, this was a shock to everyone, but it explained why Clint would take off every other week for a few days. He was just going to see his kids. But Clint was still nervous and rambling thinking everyone would be mad about the secret.

"Clint stop! We're not mad. I get it. You wanted to protect your wife and children. I get it. I'd do anything to protect Tony and the baby. I'm glad you told us. Now we can all work together to keep our families safe." Explained Steve once Clint calmed down a little bit more.

As the night progressed Clint started doing that proud dad thing where he kept showing off pictures of his kids. Everyone listened to everything Clint wanted to. He looked so proud of his kids. His son Cooper was doing good in school and so was his daughter Lila even though she had just started. The Avengers couldn't wait to meet them.

When Tony was 20 weeks along it was time for another ultrasound. Tony and Steve were excited about this one because they would finally find out the gender of their baby. Neither could stop talking about how excited they were and that was a mistake. Thor, in his excitement over the baby, had been using the internet to look up different Earth traditions for welcoming a baby.

And that was how Thor found out about gender reveal parties.

Thor became over-excited about the prospect of one. He looked so much like an excited little puppy that nobody had the heart to deny him even if Tony thought they were a bit tacky. So, when Tony and Steve went in for the ultrasound they didn't look at the screen. They trusted the doctor to tell them if anything was wrong. So far, other then Tony being sick all the time, the baby was healthy. Everything looked normal. Steve did have his own worries that he'd brought up to Tony in the privacy of their bedroom. He was scared that their baby would be plagued by the same ailments that he had suffered from before the serum. Tony had been quick to help Steve with his fears. There were treatments and much better healthcare nowadays. Even if their baby was born sick they would do everything they could to give them the best quality of life.

It made Steve feel a bit better once he'd done some more research by going through peer-reviewed medical journals.

After the ultrasound was done the doctor handed Tony and Steve and envelope with the baby's gender inside. The two quickly handed it off to Thor who took it with great enthusiasm and literally skipped off to finish planning the party. Tony and Steve went back to their room to lie down. Tony had thrown up right after the appointment and was more than ready for a nap and cuddles. Although, just as the two were getting comfortable, Tony decided to ask a question.

"Hey Steve?" asked Tony nervously.

"Yeah?"

"Would it be weird if I had our baby call me mama? Like, I am the one who's giving birth to them. Plus maybe if our baby doesn't call me dad it'll help me be not like Howard." Said Tony sheepishly. Steve just hugged him close.

"I don't think it's weird. You're the one doing all the hard work and carrying our baby. You should be able to decide what they call you." Smiled Steve as he pulled Tony in for a kiss.

"And Tony. My sweet Anthony, I can promise you that you won't be like Howard. You're filled with so much love already for our baby. I just know that you'll be great."

Like most nights, Tony and Steve ended up falling asleep together. Although, as Tony slept, Steve stayed awake just a little while longer. His mind was swimming with thoughts about upcoming parenthood. He'd been doing so much reading lately. He just wanted to get this right. He wanted to do right by Tony and their baby.

Two days later was the party. Everyone was excited, but Steve and Tony more so than the others. Tony was excited because he could finally start looking up baby names and Steve was excited because he could finally start working on the baby's room. He was going to paint everything from scratch. Sure, neither cared if the baby was a boy or a girl, but some traditions were just a little bit too strong for them. Their baby could do whatever they wanted as they grew up and play and dress how they wanted. But for now, the Avengers just wanted to have some fun with the whole event.

And what an event it was. Thor had certainly gone crazy with the streamers. It was a literal sea of pink and blue that looked like a candy shop had exploded in the living room. To add to the candy theme, there were lots of little treats and cakes and finger sandwiches. Thor had certainly put in the work and it showed.

Pepper, Happy, and Rhodey had all been able to make it. Tony was scared that they wouldn't. It was nice to have all of his family there.

There were a few cheesy baby-themed games that Thor had planned that turned out being more fun then they looked. Tony mostly sat there and watched and laughed. He wasn't feeling the greatest but he still had fun. The highlight was when Clint managed to get himself covered in chocolate. Nobody was quite sure how that happened but the many pictures JARVIS took stood as evidence.

At the end of all the festivities, it was time for the big reveal. Thor had gone for the very classy box of coloured balloons. Everyone was waiting in anticipation for the big moment. Steve was practically vibrating as he took Tony's hand and got ready to open the box. The two looked at each other with excited smiles and at the count of three, the opened the box.

The room was suddenly filled with baby blue balloons and lots of cheers. Tony and Steve were crying and hugging. A boy! They were having a baby boy! Steve was over the moon excited and Tony was just happy the baby was healthy.

"We're having a boy! We're having a boy!" cheered Steve as he gave Tony a kiss. Tony smiled back and joined his hands with Steve's over his baby bump.

"We're having a boy."

Now that Tony and Steve knew the gender of their baby it was time to finish getting things ready. Steve went wild planning the nursery. The walls were a pale blue with fluffy, sheep-like clouds floating around like the sky. The ceiling was covered in little glow-in-the-dark stars and planets and all the bedding was covered in little birds. In the corner was a soft grey stuffed bunny that would be their baby's first stuffy. The room looked perfect with it's white crib and changing table. The only thing that looked out of place was the dark green rocking chair in the corner. It was one of the things that Tony had kept from his childhood. It used to belong to his mom and Tony wanted it int their son's room.

The only thing Steve wanted to add to the room was their son's name painted over the crib.

That was another thing they needed to figure out. Their baby needed a name. A name fit for "the most perfect baby in the world" according to Tony.

"We should probably start thinking of a name." commented Steve one afternoon while he and Tony were eating a little bit of lunch.

"We probably should. Do you have anything in mind?"

"I was thinking of maybe an Italian first name. You did tell me that your mom wanted to give you a more Italian name so why don't we do that for our baby." Smiled Steve as he finished off his plate and carried the dirty dishes to the kitchen.

"Are you sure?" asked Tony as he slowly got up from his seat. "I thought you would want an Irish name or a family name."

"I do want our baby to have a family name but only as a middle name. Our baby's name should be his own not anyone else's."

"Well, what name were you thinking?" asked Tony as he and Steve made their way back to the couch to relax for a bit.

"I kind of want his middle name to be Joseph after my father. I think that would be a good way to remember his sacrifice."

"I like it. It's a good, strong middle name and I have a feeling that both of our mothers would approve." Smiled Tony.

The two mostly sat in silence for a little while. Steve was working on a sketch he wanted to frame for the baby's room and Tony was searching around on his tablet. Steve had no idea what he was doing until about an hour later when Tony turned to him with a smile.

"What about the name Nicola? It's an Italian name and also the name of another really smart person. I know it sounds a bit feminine but in Italy, it's not. But also Nicola Tesla." Suggested Tony. Steve sat there for a moment and pondered over the name.

"Nicola Joseph Stark-Rogers. I like it. It sounds perfect for our baby. A perfect name for a perfect baby." Smiled Steve as he hugged Tony close.

And so it was decided and the next day Steve was back in the nursery finishing up the painting. They also told their friends and they all agreed that the name was perfect. Now if only Tony's damn "morning sickness" would go away so he could function like a normal fucking person without throwing up all the time.

* * *

I have good news! I just found out that I got accepted into a journalism program for post-secondary in the fall! I'm so excited. I was out of school for a while with illness but I'm back baby! Now all I need is a job and I'll be back on the right path. Also, what do y'all think of the baby's name? I think it's cute. In Italy and France Nicola is a boy's name unlike here in the west. Also, like mentioned above, Nicola Tesla. Plus it's adorable. Well, I'll be seeing you soon. Only one more chapter before baby time! -Shadows


	20. Sick

Hey there guys. I don't really have much to say here. I could do on a rant about how stupid my province is for voting conservative and now threatening to leave the country because of the election results but I know if I do I'll just make myself angry. So with that, enjoy my ramblings. I'll see you at the end.

* * *

It was late May when Tony noticed that something was up with his body. He'd been laying in bed with Steve just about to get up and start the day when he noticed it.

"Hey Steve, my chest feels sore." Commented Tony. Upon Steve's concerned face, he elaborated.

"It's not the arc reactor hurting. That feels normal. It's just… well, my pecs feel are stiff and sore. I don't like it."

Steve smiled sadly and reached over to the bedside table and brought out a bottle of lavender-scented lotion. He had noticed that Tony's pecs had been just a tiny bit bigger the last few weeks but Steve didn't want to say anything to make Tony feel bad.

"How about I give you a massage and we'll see how you feel?"

Tony nodded with a smile and laid back down on the bed. Steve covered his hands in the lotion and got to work. He worshipped Tony's body making sure to pay special attention to the stretch marks over Tony's hips and baby bump.

"You are a saint Steve Rogers. A literal saint." Sighed Tony as he leaned into Steve's gentle touch.

Steve continued his ministrations with a smile. He loved that he was able to make Tony feel a bit better. It was the least he could do considering that Tony was growing a damn baby. Although, once Steve got to massaging Tony's chest things took a bit of a turn. There was liquid on Steve's hands that definitely wasn't lotion. Both men looked surprised before Tony had the mind to ask JARVIS what was going on. Well, apparently in addition to Loki giving him a womb, Tony also got some milk ducts.

"Well, that explains why my chest was hurting." Grimaced Tony, "But at least now we know how we're going to feed Nicola."

Steve just hugged Tony close and made sure that he was comfortable. Although in his mind Steve couldn't help but think of Tony sitting in bed nursing their baby. The thought made him feel all mushy. Tony would definitely call him a sap if he knew what was going on in his head.

Plus the absorbent nursing bra that Tony had to buy to keep his chest supported wasn't helping Steve's thoughts either. Maybe once the baby was born some lingerie was in order. Steve tried not to dwell on the thought of Tony wearing all manner of sweet, lacy things. He didn't need any inappropriate erections.

Three days after their little discovery it was Tony's birthday. It wasn't a very big affair. It was just the team, Happy, Rhodey, and Pepper. They all spent the day watching movies and playing stupid card games together. Tony got a kick out of watching Steve play Cards Against Humanity. Tony knew that Steve was a dirty bastard. They shared a bed together for Christ's sake! But the team didn't know this and their reactions to Steve's vulgarity were priceless.

The presents Tony received were mostly for the baby. Tony didn't mind one bit. The number of cute onesies and shoes almost had hem crying from the hormones. They were just so small! It was unbelievable and Tony could barely comprehend that his baby was going to be that small.

And to top off the day, the team had gotten Tony his favourite cake. Red velvet with cream cheese icing! Tony was even able to enjoy a slice without feeling like throwing up. So yes, Tony's 20th/44th birthday was great. He had his friends and family there, his baby was due in 2 more months at the end of July, things were great. Tony was grateful that he was there to enjoy this.

But if only things could stay great.

After Tony's birthday, his health went downhill. Tony was throwing up more, he was lethargic, he couldn't even keep water down. He was starting to lose weight and that wasn't good for the baby. Steve was worried half to death, but it was when Tony passed out in his arms after throwing up at 2 in the morning that Steve knew he had to act. Steve had Jarvis alert medical and he carried him down there himself to get help.

Steve felt horrible as the doctors examined Tony. He felt helpless as the inserted IV lines and an NG tube so that Tony could get some nutrients. Steve felt powerless the whole time. He just wanted Tony and the baby to be alright. The doctors told Steve that their baby was just fine but Tony would need to remain on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy. They'd discuss things further once Tony was awake but for now, they wanted the poor man to get some much-needed sleep.

Steve didn't sleep at all that night. He just sat there at Tony's side and held his hand. He didn't want Tony to feel alone. He kept watch the entire night. Steve felt exhausted but he couldn't sleep without knowing that Tony was going to be ok.

Around noon the next day, Tony slowly woke up. He looked as shitty as he felt.

"Hey, there darlin'. How you feeling?" asked Steve as he scooted onto the bed next to Tony. Tony didn't respond other than sigh. He knew if he talked he'd just end up throwing up again. Steve lent his forehead against Tony's and caressed his face offering some comfort through all the bull shit.

Not long after the doctor came back in and explained things to the two of them. Tony had a severe form of "morning sickness" and he was to be on highly restrictive bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy. Tony was only allowed to get up to go to the bathroom or to have a bath. Tony couldn't have baths with his fear of standing water from Afghanistan so bed baths were going to become a thing. Tony was also going to go on a special diet and have an IV line in most days to keep him hydrated enough.

"Now Mr. Stark I just have one last question for you." Said the doctor and Tony nodded along. "Now, do you still plan on having a natural birth?" Tony nodded and the doctor made some notes for moving forward.

A couple of months ago when Tony and Steve were at one of Tony's ultrasounds they brought up the question of how exactly their baby would be born. Well, after some very uncomfortable searching they discovered that the baby would be coming out the same way that Steve put it in there. Despite the risks, Tony wanted to have a natural birth. He didn't really like the idea of being cut open while awake again. Sure C-sections were safe and they had drugs to numb the pain, but Tony didn't want any reminders of that cave while he was bringing new life into the world.

Now that the doctor had all the information she instructed Tony to remain in medical for the rest of the day. Tomorrow they could set him up in his own room so he'd be more comfortable. Tony just nodded along tiredly. The fact that Tony wasn't even fighting remaining in medical was a telltale sign that he wasn't feeling well and that this was taking a toll on him.

Tony mostly slept the rest of the day while Steve informed the others of what had happened. They were all scared for Tony but promised to be there for him and Steve should they ever need any help. The next morning they placed Tony in a wheelchair and took him back up to his and Steve's bed. Steve made sure there were loads of fluffy pillows and blankets so that Tony was comfortable.

From there they had a bit of a new schedule for Tony. It mostly consisted of sleeping and Steve giving very welcome foot massages for Tony's swollen ankles. Tony was starting to feel a bit better and with that Steve was feeling a bit more possessive and protective. He didn't like other people coming in and messing with Tony. Sure, the team and their friends could come in and visit for movie night all together, but Steve wouldn't let any of them even touch Tony and the baby. The only person that didn't receive his death glare was Rhodey and that was because he and Tony were family.

Steve tried his best to keep Tony occupied when he was awake and feeling well enough. They made a game of finding obscure pop culture references for Steve to learn to freak out their friends. Although maybe Tony shouldn't have introduced Steve to lolcatz because the Avengers group chat quickly got swamped with pictures of cats wanting cheeze burgerz and Tony had to listen to Steve cackling when their friends were confused.

Most of their days passed just like that. Sometimes, Tony, had a doctor come and visit to check things over. Tony was finally putting on an appropriate amount of weight and the baby boy was doing great. There was only one more month left to go and Tony was excited. Now if only those pesky pains in his abdomen would stop. They were getting increasingly more annoying.

* * *

So um, just a heads up, next chapter is a bit graphic. You can probably guess why. Let me know what you thought of the chapter. I'll be seeing you soon along with a certain little baby! -Shadows


	21. Lullaby

I'm writing this note on Halloween night but I know this chapter is going to go up well after all the little peanuts have gone to bed. I just want to say that I'm sad that I didn't get very many trick or treaters. I was giving out literal handfuls of candy and I still have a fuck tonne leftover. So sad. On another note, this chapter contains graphic depictions of birth and a new arrival. I'll see you at the end.

* * *

It was either really early or really late depending on how you looked at it. It was 1 in the morning and Tony had woken up, thrown up, then asked Steve for a snack because he was hungry and the baby wanted cheese puffs. So, Steve went to the kitchen to make some cheese puffs while Tony lay in bed and rubbed at his aching belly.

"JARVIS, can you tell me the difference between Braxton-Hicks contractions and real contractions?" asked Tony as the pain ebbed and flowed. He was getting really annoyed with it so he wanted to make sure he wasn't about to make any rash decisions. He still had another couple of weeks before his due date anyways.

JARVIS went and rattles off some information. The more JARVIS talked the more concerned Tony got. He hadn't timed anything but he did notice that he was cramping at regular intervals and that it had been progressively getting worse since the day before. Tony decided that he needed Steve here with him like right now.

"JARVIS! Call Steve, please. I think he needs to be here."

A moment later Steve had returned looking a bit frazzled. Tony tried to smile at him but ended up grimacing. Steve rushed over and crawled onto the bed next to Tony.

"Hey, sweetheart, what's going on? Is everything alright?" asked Steve as he took Tony's hands in his.

"Um… I think I'm in labour. I'm not 100% sure. I'm going to have JARVIS time the next contraction for me. Just uh… just be ready to maybe go to medical. Hey JARVIS when I give a thumbs up can you start timing things?"

"Certainly Sir."

Steve just sort of sat there dumbly for a second before the information really sunk in. Then he panicked a bit. There may have been a bit of yelling and Steve frantically pulling things they might need together into a bag while Tony sat there in the bed and tried not to laugh.

The second another contraction hit Tony gave a thumbs up and JARVIS began timing everything. Tony also let out a groan and Steve stopped his packing and immediately was at Tony's side holding his hand and trying to comfort him.

"Alright. Nope. That's been 5 minutes we're going to medical."

Steve nodded and grabbed the last few items they needed for their stay before shouldering the bag and physically picking Tony up to carry him down to medical JARVIS had already sent down an alert. The second they arrived they got Tony into a hospital gown and onto the bed where the doctors were waiting. It didn't take long before they were able to confirm that Tony was in labour and that the baby was on his way.

This information, of course, made Tony and Steve very anxious. Tony's due date wasn't for another two and a half weeks and they were worried that something was wrong. The doctors said that they would monitor the whole thing closely but still, they were worried.

The upside of having an AI that was able to track vitals was the fact that Tony didn't need to be tethered to the bed to monitor things. He was allowed to move around a bit to ease the pain. Sure, Tony had an IV in, but he could still move about the room. About two hours after they arrived in medical Steve was helping Tony stand up so that gravity would do something helpful. Once Tony was on his feet He groaned out in pain. The change of position helped a bit but he knew that things were going to get worse before they got better. And by better Tony meant that he would finally be holding his precious little baby and no longer caring about the pain.

"Here, I've got an idea to help distract you a bit." Spoke Steve as he put Tony's arms around his neck and his own hands on Tony's waist. "JARVIS, can you play us a good slow dancing song."

JARVIS was quick to listen and seconds later the song "It's been a long long time" began playing. The two swayed together and Tony rested his head on Steve's collarbone and tried to focus on just being with Steve and not the pain he was in.

Two hours later found Tony back in bed and laying on his side while Steve held his hands and rubbed at his sides. There was a light conversation going between the two to keep Tony distracted. It didn't work very well. Every few minutes Tony would gasp in pain and clutch harder at Steve's hands. Steve could only kiss his forehead and offer words of comfort.

Around 5:30 am there was a knock at the door to their room. They knew it wasn't any of the doctors because they would just come in without knocking.

"I think that's the team Sweetheart. Do you want to see them?" asked Steve and Tony shook his head. He had no desire to see any of the others when he was this vulnerable. Rhodey, maybe. But the others not so much.

"Maybe just Rhodey." Sighed Tony as another contraction passed.

Steve nodded and got up to the door. Sure thing, right as he opened it and stepped out all their friends including Happy and Pepper were there and waiting.

"JARVIS said that Tony went into labour so we're all came here as fast as he could." Responded Pepper and everyone else nodded.

"How's he doing?" asked Bruce and a few others nodded in concern.

"He's doing alright. He's in a lot of pain and we're worried because he's two weeks early, but everything seems to be going normally." Spoke Steve and there were a few frowns.

"Can we see him?" asked Clint and Steve shook his head.

"He's not really up for visitors at the moment. Tony said that he would like to see you though Rhodey. You can probably relay more information then I can at the moment. I don't want to be away from Tony for very long."

Rhodey nodded and followed Steve back inside the room while the others commandeered all the comfortable chairs in the Avengers Tower Medical waiting area. Tony had rolled onto his back and had his eyes squeezed shut as another contraction hit. Steve practically ran back to his side to hold his hands and wipe his brown.

"Hey, there Tones. I take it you're feeling pretty shitty right about now." Spoke Rhodey in only the way that people who have know each other a very long time have.

"This part sucks. I just want my baby to be here already." Complained Tony after the contraction had ended.

Tony didn't talk much after that. He was feeling really shitty and wanting to throw up from the building pain so he just decided to focus on breathing. He was so focused that he didn't hear Rhodey leaving not even 10 minutes later after he'd gotten some information to share with the others.

Tony spent all morning labouring. He'd thrown up twice from the pain and from nausea but every time a doctor came in to check on things everything was going smoothly. They'd probably have their baby before the end of the day barring any unforeseen complications.

Tony still didn't talk too much as the day moved on. Steve did most of the talking. He would just hold Tony and sing little sings or tell stupid stories. They did talk a bit about all the things they were excited to teach Nicola as he got older or speculating on what he'd look like.

"I'd love for him to have your big doe eyes, Anthony. I just love your eyes."

"Well, then I want him to have your hair. Having curly hair is a mess. I don't want him to have to struggle with hair when he's a teenager."

"But your hair looks great Tony."

"Practice and expensive product that's all I can tell you. Plus you've seen my hair in the morning. I'd like for Nicola to not have to deal with "the puff" first thing in the morning."

At one point, around 3 pm, Tony was sitting cross-legged on the bed while Steve sat behind him and rubbed his back. The massage felt nice and Steve was glad that he could do something for Tony that helped lessen the pain if only for a little bit. But, just as Tony was really getting into the massage, he was rocked with a very sharp pain and the feeling of liquid pooling around his legs.

"Shit! Fuck! Oh God!" cried out Tony as his hands went to clutch at his abdomen.

"Tony! Anthony! What's wrong?" worried Steve.

"I think my water just broke."

Steve was quick to call a doctor and get Tony laying back down so the doctor could check on things.

"Alright Mr. Stark, you're almost 10 cm dilated. Your baby is going to come pretty soon so we're going to get everything ready to go now." Tony nodded and just held Steve's hand and tried to remember to breathe.

There were doctors all throughout the room now. Tony was laying on his back with his feet in stirrups while Steve held his hand. He felt absolutely helpless. He was a fighter, a leader, a problem solver, yet all he could do was hold Tony's hand and give encouragement. He couldn't do anything about the pain. He couldn't make the baby come faster to spare Tony any more pain. He couldn't do anything when all he wanted to do was make things better.

About 30 minutes after Tony's water broke, Tony was fully dilated and ready to push. The pain was unbearable and Tony couldn't help but scream in pain with every push. Steve's job was to help Tony count each time he had to push as well as to remains him to breathe. It was scary. Neither would deny that. This whole experience was terrifying. They just wanted both Tony and the baby to make it out alright on the other end.

"Shh Anthony sweetheart. You're doing great. You're almost there. Not much longer." Soothed Steve as he helped support Tony's back.

"Steve. It hurts so much. I can't do it. I can't do it, Steve." Cried, Tony. Tears were falling from his eyes Steve wanted more than anything to take the pain away.

"You can do it, Tony. I know you can."

"You're very close Mr. Stark. We can see the head. Just a few more pushes and you'll have your baby." Encouraged one of the doctors.

So, Tony kept pushing and crying and screaming. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. He felt horrible. The only silver lining was getting to finally see his baby after all this time. Luckily after one more big push, Tony felt something slip from his body and a piercing cry cut through his own. Steve helped immediately to pull down the fabric around Tony's chest and seconds later an impossibly tiny baby was placed in his arms. And right there on July 4th, 2014, at 4:49 pm, baby Nicola Joseph Stark-Rogers was born. And he was perfect.

"That's our baby!" smiled Steve as he looked at the tiny baby on Tony's chest. Tony just nodded and cried while looking at his son. His son! He couldn't believe it.

One of the doctors came around and helped Steve to cut the cord. Steve's hand was shaking the whole time. He was just so overwhelmed with emotions, and he couldn't even begin to imagine how Tony was feeling. Luckily, so far both of them were healthy. Tony was in pain but that was about it, and baby Nicola had a very healthy set of lungs on him. He definitely got those from Tony. They'd have to wait a little bit to see if Nicola inherited any of the illnesses Steve suffered from as a child, but for now, everything was going great.

A couple of minutes after Nicola was born Tony delivered the placenta and he was finally allowed to have some much-needed ice packs and medication. Tony didn't care too much about what the doctors were doing. He only had eyes for his son. Nicola was perfect. He had such tiny hands and feet. There was a small patch of downy blonde hair on his head that made Tony smile.

"He's so perfect." Whispered Tony and Steve couldn't help but agree. They made perfect babies.

"He is. God, I love you both so much. You did so well Tony. You're so strong. I'm so proud of you." Cried Steve as he gently placed one of his hands over Tony's on Nicola's back and kissed his son's head.

The doctors lingered around for a bit longer cleaning up and making sure that everything was alright. They also got the birth certificate sorted out while they were there. But, after a little while, they left, leaving the two new parents to bond with their baby.

"Happy birthday Steve." Smiled Tony a bit as he held his son in his arms.

"What?"

"Today's July 4th. You and our son share the same birthday."

Steve felt elated. His birthday had always been a mixture of good and bad memories. He never really cared for the day himself after his mom had passed. But now, now he had a reason to celebrate, not his own birth, but his son's. His precious baby's birth was way more exciting to him then counting his own confusing age on a calendar.

Steve got up for a moment to go grab one of the super soft blankets that they'd brought down with them. Steve tucked the blanket around Tony and the baby and smiled as he watched them interact. Nicola had stopped crying and was gently snoozing on Tony's chest and Tony was kissing his little head. Steve smiled at the sight and went to go sit on the bed next to Tony so he could hold his family.

Half an hour later, their friends were allowed to come in and visit with struck instructions to keep the noise to a minimum.

"Hey, Tones. How you feeling?" asked Rhodey.

"Sore, but it's so worth it." Smiled Tony and Steve gave him a little kiss.

"Is that the baby? He's so small yet so mighty." Smiled Thor as he and the others got a little closer.

"Yes. Guys I'd like you all to meet Nicola Joseph Stark-Rogers." Smiled Steve and everyone's eyes lit up as they watched the tiny little baby in Tony's arms.

"He's so cute and squishy." Smiled Clint. In fact, it was almost a squeal.

"Did you just call my son squishy Barton?" joked Tony his eyes never leaving his baby.

"He's a baby, therefore, he's squishy."

"Can I hold him?" asked Pepper but Tony shook his head. He wasn't ready for anybody else other than himself and Steve to hold their baby. Everybody understood. They could hold Nicola later. Right no he needed to be with his Mama and Dada.

"You look exhausted Tony. We should leave you to get some rest." Spoke up Happy and everyone else nodded. They'd all gotten to see how Tony was doing and see the new baby. It was time for them to leave and get ready to help out where they could. And with some more well wishes and a few hugs and kisses, the others left the room leaving only Tony, Steve, and baby Nicola.

"We should probably make a post so people won't stalk us to see if you had the baby yet." Sighed Steve as he looked around the room. Their friends hadn't been gone long but they needed to figure this out before Tony passed out.

"I don't care. Just make sure that Nicola's fact isn't in the picture. I want to keep him out of the press as much as possible."

"Agreed."

The picture Steve posted was one JARVIS was able to get only a few moments after Nicola's birth. Tony was crying and giving Nicola a little kiss on his head while the baby rested on Tony's bare chest, his face facing away from the camera. Everything about that moment was precious.

capamericaofficial The best gift I could ever receive. I love you both with all my heart. This evening Tony gave birth to our son, Nicola Joseph Stark-Rogers. The birth went well and both Mama and Baby are doing just fine. I'm so thankful for everything I've been given and I can't wait to take the journey into parenthood with the love of my life at my side. Thank you all for your support.

After Steve made the post he put his phone on silent and went back to just holding Tony and the baby. There wasn't much talking. The two new parents just wanted to savour these moments with their son. Their perfect little bundle of joy that they would love no matter what. But soon enough Tony was yawning and more than ready for a little nap.

"You should hold him, Steve." Encouraged Tony and Steve looked over with wide eyes.

"Can I?"

"Of course you can. He's your son too. You're Dad." Smiled Tony tiredly

"I'm Dad." Spoke Steve in awe. Things were really starting to settle in. He was a dad now. He had a baby. Steve very gently scooped Nicola out of Tony's outstretched arms and held him on his own after removing his own shirt. The doctors said that skin to skin was good for the baby. There were tears in his eyes as Steve held his son for the first time. Tony smiled over at the two as he pulled the nice warm blankets close around him.

"You should get some rest, Tony. You did all the hard work getting Nicola here, let me handle things for a while." Soothed Steve from his seat in the chair next to Tony's bed.

"You'll wake me if Nicola needs any food right. Last I checked you're amazing pecs couldn't make food." Joked Tony tiredly.

"I will sweetheart. Now get some rest."

It didn't take very long for Tony to fall asleep after that. He was exhausted after giving birth. The sleep was very much appreciated.

"Hey there Nicola. I'm your Dad." Whispered Steve with a smile as he held his son close.

"I'm so glad you're finally here. Your Mama and I are so excited to meet you. Your Mama is the best. You're really lucky. He loves you so much already. The same goes for me. I never thought I'd be able to have kids and now I have you. My perfect little baby. I can't wait to show you the world. I can't wait to play games with you and to teach you how to paint and draw. Your Mama will show you all the things to do with science but I'll show you all the things you can do with art. I think you'll like getting messy. God, I can't wait to see you grow up, but not too fast. I love you so much, Nicola. Never forget how much your Mama and I love you."

Steve smiled and kissed the top of his son's head. It had been a long day but everything was worth it. Tony and Nicola were healthy and Steve had the family he'd always dreamed of. Sure, his family was put together like a patchwork quilt, but each stitch was made with love and trust. Two things that Steve was going to make sure that Nicola always knew.

God, he was so happy. So damn happy.

* * *

AAAAHHHH! How cute is baby Nicola? And Tony and Steve and everyone else just being so in love with the baby. Nicola's going to grow up surrounded by love. And Steve being such a good partner. I can't even and I wrote the damn thing. Let me know what you all think. I'll see you soon. -Shadows


	22. What little boys are made of

So… not much is happening here except some cuteness overload and the press being assholes who don't understand that all bodies are different. I promise that when I graduate with my journalism degree I will only report on actual news and not gossip. I'd actually really like to work for NatGeo as a photojournalist. That was I can still be involved in science. But enough about me, let's boogie! I'll see you at the end.

* * *

Tony and Nicola stayed in medical for a whole week before they got to go back home. The doctors wanted to make sure that both were doing alright. Tony and Nicola were lucky, other then the normal post-birth bleeding and being in pain, Tony was alright. Nicola so far had no complications. His breathing was great and every test they'd done came back clean. It looked like Nicola hasn't inherited any of Steve's past illnesses and everyone was thankful.

The whole time they were in medical Steve was nothing but supportive. Tony was mostly on bed rest so Steve was the one to change diapers and make sure that Tony and Nicola were comfortable. Steve didn't complain one bit. He was more than happy to be doing all those things that dads should be doing but more often than not fell to the moms. Steve wanted to be there and present, nothing would change that.

The first time that Tony breastfed Nicola it was certainly an experience. It took Nicola a little while to figure out how to latch on and Tony was freaking out that he was failing as a parent. It was stressful. And, once Nicola finally figured it out Tony learned that breastfeeding wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world. Sure, it allowed him to bond with his baby in a way that nobody else could, but fuck were his nipples sore.

One thing Tony did a lot of while in medical was just talk to the baby. But not in English. That was boring and also Steve's job. No, Tony talked to Nicola in Italian. He wanted his baby to grow up speaking Italian first as he did. Tony wanted Nicola to learn his heritage and that started with Tony's and his Mama's first language. In retaliation, Steve spoke English and a bit of Gaelic to Nicola. Nicola was certainly going to know more than one language before he even hit kindergarten that was for sure.

The day they finally got to bring Nicola home was both stressful and a relief. Tony was more than happy to be getting out of medical and back home. He wanted more than anything to just cuddle up in his own bed with Steve and Nicola and just relax. Medical was never relaxing. There were doctors and tests and visitors all day. It was exhausting.

Going back home was amazing. Tony got to put on some normal clothes, and by normal clothes, Tony was talking about a zip-up hoodie and a pair of Steve's sweat pants, and Steve got him in a wheelchair so he wouldn't have to walk back to their room. Tony just got to relax and hold Nicola. They weren't immediately heading back to their room though. Their friends were holding a little welcome home party in the living room. Plus they all wanted to see the baby more.

"Welcome back you guys?" smiled Bruce as the new parents entered the living room with their precious bundle. The room was set up with all sorts of soft things and some things for the baby. There was also food and Tony looked ecstatic to see food that wasn't the shitty stuff he had to eat down in medical.

Steve helped Tony curl up on the couch with the baby and smiled as all their friends milled around. What nobody expected was for Acorn the cat to walk over, sniff the baby, and curl up right next to him. It was absolutely adorable and Tony shed a few tears. Damn hormones.

What made everyone else happy was that after some rigorous hand washing, they could all take turns holding the baby. Rhodey was the first and he went off how he was going to be an amazing uncle and how he's going to keep Nicola out of all the trouble he was sure to get into seeing as he had Tony Stark and Steve Rogers as parents.

Happy and Pepper couldn't get over how small Nicola as. Pepper was smitten right away and Happy cried when Nicola grabbed his finger. He was a big softy for babies. Thor was hesitant and first to hold the baby just because of his strength, but together with Bruce they figured it out and were also smitten with the baby. Clint already and two kids so neither Tony nor Steve were worried when it was Clint's turn. Clint would definitely be their go-to baby sitter if they needed a date night to themselves. Sam also had experience with babies. He had a few nieces and nephews and was comfortable enough when he was handed the baby.

"He's like a perfect mix between the two of you guys. That's insane!" commented Sam while he was holding Nicola.

"I can't wait for when he's a little older and we get to know his eye colour. I really hope he gets Tony's eyes." Smiled Steve.

"I'm just happy he didn't get my hair." Yawned Tony as he let Steve bundle him in a few more blankets.

When it came time for Natasha to hold the baby Tony and Steve were scared that they'd never get Nicola back. They had to promise the prime babysitting spot just so she'd give Nicola back to Tony so he could feed him. Some of the others thought that it was a little weird that Tony could breastfeed but didn't say anything. In their line of work they'd all seen some strange stuff, you know, besides Tony getting pregnant.

The rest of the afternoon was great. Tony was happy to eat all sorts of non-medical food and didn't hesitate to eat plenty of food. Nobody said anything at that. Despite the still there post-birth belly, Tony was pretty small and scrawny and he needed the fuel for himself to keep going and to help produce milk for Nicola. In fact, they all wanted Tony to eat more and Steve made sure to give Tony the biggest slice of pie at dessert. Happy had made his mom's famous peach pie and everyone loved it.

Tony and Steve's first night alone with the baby was an experience. Sure, Nicola had a nursery of his own, but Tony had put a rocking chair and a little bassinet next to his side of the bed so he could keep an eye on Nicola while he was still so little. This, of course, lead to a very sleepless night. Tony was up every few hours to feed Nicola and Steve always woke up with him to help. Steve didn't need as much sleep as Tony did so they were using that to their advantage.

When Nicola was two weeks old Steve had to go back to Avengers' work. Not fieldwork mind you, Steve thankfully still got that time off. No, he had the displeasure of having to do paperwork. Fury was nice enough to bring the work to him while Nicola was still so young, but still. Steve really didn't want to do paperwork.

So. Steve had to leave Tony's side for about an hour while he got stuff done. Fury stuck around and was practically breathing down his neck so the work would be finished and Steve was so glad when it was. The second he was done he thrust the finished work in Fury's face and stomped off back to his and Tony's room where he knew where the two most important people in his life were resting.

When he got to the room Steve made sure to open the door quietly just in case Tony or Nicola were sleeping. He didn't want to disturb them. So, Steve opened the door expecting to see a sleeping Tony and baby, but what he saw was so much better.

Tony was sitting int eh rocking chair next to the bed with Nicola in his arms feeding the baby. Tony was singing some old Italian lullaby while clad only in a light housecoat that was open and one of those post-birth pads that are just essentially diapers. Any passerby would thing that Tony looked disgusting looking like that, all sleep-deprived and messy hair. But Steve felt the exact opposite.

"God, you look so beautiful." Said Steve in awe as he walked further into the room to go sit on the ground in front of Tony and the baby.

"Well, I'm glad you think so. I look like a hot mess." Sighed Tony as Nicola continued to feed.

"Tony, you've just given birth. You're allowed to look however you want. I'll be right here the whole time saying how amazing you are." Smiled Steve as he got up to get a burping cloth so he could burp the baby.

"Plus neither of us has really been paying much to personal hygiene. I haven't shaved in two weeks."

"I've been meaning to talk to you about that. I'm forbidding you from shaving that beard you're growing." Smiled Tony as he passed Nicola over to Steve. "It makes you look more distinguished and I'm growing attached."

"Then I guess I'm keeping the beard." Smiled Steve. Tony smiled along with Steve. Steve just loved seeing Tony smile.

Smiling was a bit of a problem for Tony at the moment. He just felt so shitty and empty and he cried a lot more. His therapist said it was post-partum depression but Tony felt different. He felt like he wasn't doing enough for Nicola when he was away at therapy. He felt like a failure even though all facts pointed to the opposite. Tony was doing an amazing job with Nicola. That baby was so happy and well cared for and loved. But Tony still held that fear that he would turn out like Howard and that fear was eating him up inside.

Steve made sure to check in with Tony constantly to make sure he was feeling alright. If Tony wasn't then Steve would talk to him alone before taking Tony down to therapy. He knew there were some problems that needed a professional and Steve wanted to help where he could. Tony slowly got better, but they both understood that this was an ongoing work in progress. You don't just get over years of trauma and neglect in a day. Tony was just glad that Steve understood and actually wanted to help. Fuck he loved that man.

A month after giving birth Tony had to make a public appearance to announce something for SI that the board wanted. Pepper tried to get him out of it because Tony was still on maternity leave but the board was full of assholes and all the older men there didn't seem to care that Tony had an infant that needed him. So, with great chagrin, Tony went off to do the announcement while Steve sat backstage with Baby Nicola. The announcement itself went smoothly. The new product was launched and Tony didn't really stick around for questions after. He had more important things to worry about.

But of course, things can never go that smoothly if your name is Tony Stark.

The day right after the press conference there were swarms of articles slamming Tony's appearance. That said all sorts of nasty things like how Tony can't be that good of a mother because his body hadn't returned to its pre-baby glory. Tony was still healing and hadn't been cleared to work out yet so of course, he still had some baby fat on him. That also slammed Tony for the dark circles under his eyes, the messiness of his hair, and the fact that Tony was so tired from not getting any sleep the night before that he'd put on two different shoes.

It really sucked.

The comments were hard on everyone in the tower. Everyone suffered when one of their own was attacked. And the fact that it was Tony being attacked, the most vulnerable member of the team, well, it just made things worse. Tony deserved a break.

"Anthony, sweetheart. What's got you so upset?" asked Steve one afternoon two days after the press conference even though he knew exactly why Tony was upset.

"You don't love me anymore. I look so fat and ugly and I can't be what you want!" cried Tony as he tried to cover his body with a blanket.

"Fuck, Tony. That's not true. That will never be true. You created life, Tony. You created our son. You're still healing and you deserve some rest. I will always love you, no matter what. Nothing will ever change how much I love you." Soothed Steve as he held Tony close. It broke his heart to see Tony like this. Tony should be smiling hand having fun with the baby, not crying and feeling insecure.

"I love you, Steve." Whispered Tony after a little while and all Steve could do was answer back and hope for the best.

But even with Steve's words Tony still felt like shit. So, Steve enlisted the other Avengers and Co to help out. Even Nick Fury and Maria Hill got involved. They started an online campaign about body positivity that had the goal of showcasing that every body was different and people heal from things at different rates. Plus after Steve had posted a video of himself just going off on all the reporters who decided to judge Tony so early after giving birth a lot of the judgement stopped. What was also amazing were the swarms of women and transgendered men who came forward with their own birth stories and post-birth bodies to show the media that birth and healing take time. Everyone handles it differently and deserves to be treated with kindness. After all, creating another human is a hard job.

All the nice comments brought small smiles to Tony's face. It was very rare when the public actually supported him. The fact that so many people were rallying behind him and fighting against the media was just amazing. It showed Tony that there were genuine people out there who cared and that made Tony smile. So maybe now everything would work out. Tony had his baby, his Steve, and people who supported him. It was everything he'd ever wanted. Just pure happiness and support. His younger self would be so happy to know that he'd finally catch a break. It was nice.

* * *

So what did y'all think? I couldn't not let Steve have his glorious beard. It's just so hot. I mean, like seriously. The beard in IW was amazing and Chris Evan's beard, in general, is just swoon-worthy. I just had to include it. Also, fuck the media and Fuck Howard Stark. That is all. I'll see you soon. -Shadows


	23. Diamonds and diapers

Warning for cuteness overload! I've been waiting so long for this chapter you have no idea. So, let's get on with it. I'll see you at the end!

* * *

Nicola was now two months old and growing like a bean. He was starting to focus more and was also beginning to recognize both Tony and Steve's voices. Poor baby had no idea what they were saying but was more than happy to just know that Mamma and Dada were close by for cuddles.

Everyone in the tower was adapting well to having a baby around. They all learned when to be quiet for the baby as well as what they could do to help out the sleep-deprived parents. Despite the fact that Tony was famous for his lab binges, he wasn't doing that hot with the "not enough sleep" thing. Steve was fairing much better and that was probably due to the serum. Lucky bastard.

Speaking of said Lucky Bastard, Steve was currently sitting in his art room scheming while Tony and Nicola napped. He was dead set on keeping the promise he'd made to himself to propose to Tony after Nicola was born. But it couldn't just be any old proposal. It had to be perfect. Which was why Steve had enlisted Rhodey to help.

"I wanna propose to Tony." Spouted off Steve before Rhodey could even ask why he was there.

"This isn't out of some obligation because the two of you have an admittedly adorable baby together, right? Just wanna make sure." Spoke Rhodey as he sat down across from Steve.

"No, it's not. I've wanted to marry Tony for a while now. I can't imagine my life without him in it. I want to marry Tony to show him that I will always be committed. I'm not leaving him unless he tells me to leave."

"Well then… I guess you have my blessing. Now, I'm assuming you asked me here because you need ideas for the proposal." Asked Rhodey. Steve nodded and the two got to work.

"Despite everything, everyone seems to think they know about Tony he doesn't like to make a big deal about himself. You know this. So, keep it simple. Take him out somewhere private. Just get him out of the tower period. The rest of us will babysit. Poor man needs some fresh air and time away from the crying. Just use the excuse of spending time together. I know Tony likes that. Just keep things simple and you'll be fine. Tony'll say yes anyway so you'll be fine."

Steve listened closely to everything Rhodey said and started to formulate a plan in his head. He wanted this to be perfect. Tony deserved the world and this was the least that Steve could do. So with a plan now in motion and a date set Steve felt ready.

Two days before the date Steve had picked out to propose, in early September, Fury gave them a call out for a local mission. They didn't need to even leave the state and it wouldn't last more than a day but Steve was still nervous. This was his first mission call out since becoming a father. He didn't want anything bad to happen that would prevent him from returning to his family. Sure, Sam, Rhodey, Thor, and Natasha were also coming and would have his back, but Steve was a worrier… so he worried.

"You better come back to us." Whispered Tony as Steve held him and Nicola close. They were standing out on the helipad as everyone going began to board the jet.

"I will always come back to you. You guys are my whole world and I will never leave you." Soothed Steve as they broke apart and Steve gave one last kiss to each of them before hopping on the jet with the others going on the mission.

Steve was very happy to keep his promise. Because of his haste to get home, the mission finished in half the time. Although, some of that may have been attributed to the fact that some young HYDRA agent at the base had blown up the entire thing when cornered by Thor. Sure, they didn't get all the information they needed from the HYDRA databases, but they had enough to move forward with plans to take down more bases. All in all the mission only took around 12 hours and Steve was thrilled to return home to his family.

So, right on time on September 7th, Steve asked Tony to go out on a walk with him in central park.

"I don't know Steve. I don't want to leave Nicola. He's still so little." Sighed Tony and Steve grabbed his hands in his.

"Anthony sweetheart. You need to get out every once in a while. Nicola will be just fine with Clint and Rhodey. We deserve just a little bit of time to ourselves. Other parents do stuff like this all the time and it's not like we'll be gone long. Only for like an hour. So what do you say? Shall we go out?" asked Steve as he slowly pulled Tony towards the elevator.

"Fine, but only for an hour. I don't want to be away from my baby for long."

"Me neither Tony. Just a quick outing to spend some time together."

So with a smile, Tony and Steve exited the tower and hopped on Steve's bike to head out. Steve was giddy the entire ride out. He couldn't wait. He had the perfect spot picked out and everything. Once they arrived Steve parked the bike and the two started their walk. They held hands and strolled at a leisurely pace just talking about this and that. It was a nice day out. The leaves were only just starting to change colour and it wasn't cold yet. Perfect weather for a stroll.

Once they got the to spot that Steve had picked out they stopped to take in the view for a moment. There was a light breeze rustling the leave of the nearby trees and the sun was shining off of the water making it sparkle like glitter and gold. But speaking of gold…

"Tony, I want to ask you something." Spoke up Steve after a moment. Tony looked a bit confused but Steve continued. Steve took Tony's hands in his and got down on one knee like a proper gentleman and instantly Tony knew what was happening. Tears sprung up in his eyes and Steve began to talk.

"Tony, I don't know where I'd be without you. I can't even begin to imagine what my life would be like without you in it. I don't want to even think about what a depressing would that would be. I love you so much. You've given me a home, a family, a life worth living for. I want to be yours for as long as you'll have me. And I know I've made mistakes in the past and it took Loki being a grade-A dick to show me how wrong I was, but I'm glad he did. I love everything about you, Tony. You and Nicola are my entire world. So, Anthony Edward Stark, would you do me the honour of marrying me?"

Steve reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet box. Inside was a golden ring with three red rubies, one for each member of their family. It was perfect for Tony. The whole time that Steve was proposing, Tony was silently crying. He never thought he'd ever be at this point in his life. The point where he had a kid and someone who loved him. He never imagined this for himself and he was not about to let any of his insecurities get in the way of this special moment.

"Yes, Steve. Yes I will marry you!" smiled Tony, tears of joy falling from his big doe eyes.

Steve carefully slid the ring onto Tony's left hand and gave his knuckles a kiss before he stood up and pulled Tony into a searing kiss. Tony's hands snaked around Steve's neck while Steve rested on Tony's hips. Steve was glad that he'd chosen a spot off the beaten path because his hands began to wander a little bit.

"I'm the luckiest man in the world." Whispered Steve as he and Tony pulled apart and rested their foreheads together.

"I love you so much, Steve." Whispered Tony back. Steve just smiled and pulled Tony into another kiss.

"As much as I'd like for this moment to continue on forever, we should probably get back home. I'm sure Nicola will need feeding soon and I know our friends will want to know our big news." Spoke Tony after a few more minutes of kissing.

Steve agreed and soon the two were speeding back off towards the tower. The second they got back Tony made a b-line for where Nicola was perched on Rhodey's lap. He plucked the infant out of Rhodey's arms and sat down on the big chair in the living room so Nicola could feed. The whole time he had this stupid smile on his face.

"What's with the smile looser?" snickered Rhodey, knowing full well why Tony was smiling like a loon.

"Steve proposed!" smiled Tony as he held out his hand to show off the ring. Steve smiled as well and sat down on the chair with Tony and Nicola.

"Congratulations you two! See Steve, I told you he'd say yes."

When the rest of the team joined in for dinner they also got to hear the news. Everyone was excited and unsurprisingly some money was exchanged between the spies. Of course, bets had been made on what one of them would propose. Clint was just off by a couple of months.

After dinner and once Nicola was asleep, Tony called Pepper and Happy to tell them the news. Pepper was excited and happy for Tony whereas Happy had simply said: "it's about time." And left it at that. Happy was a man of few words but Tony knew those words were out of love.

Later that night, Steve decided to make an announcement on Instagram. It was better to control these things instead of letting rumours run wild. The picture Steve decided to post was simple. It was just their hands clasped together with the ring on display. It was simple yet elegant. Just perfect for the two of them. Nobody would have thought any different of an artsy picture on Steve's page, but it was the caption that set it apart from everything else.

capamericaofficial: He said yes!

The internet lost its collective shit at the post. Although there was a very vocal homophobic minority, the general consensus was that people were excited. Some were even calling it the wedding of the century. The wedding between two lovers who in any other life would not have met, yet the stars seemed to be in their favour. The wedding between two heroes who stood tall in the face of adversity. The wedding that was all about love. People loved it.

Two weeks after Steve had proposed he found himself in his office while Tony and Nicola were having a nap. He was supposed to be doing some paperwork for Fury but Steve's head was in the clouds as he kept envisioning what his and Tony's wedding would look like. How amazing Tony would look. How happy that would be. How adorable Nicola would look in one of those little suits they make for babies. Steve much preferred to let his mind dwell on those thoughts then on paperwork.

"Cap, JARVIS's algorithm picked up a sighting of your friend Bucky in California." Spoke up Sam as he all but slammed open the door, pulling Steve out of his thoughts just before they became a bit more impure.

"Why would Bucky be in California?" asked Steve

"Beats me, but we should go check it out."

So, after a quick goodbye to Tony and a promise to return within a day, Sam and Steve boarded the jet and set off to track down Steve's missing friend.

Turned out that their lead was not Bucky, but the actor from Hot Tub Time Machine, Sebastian Stan. Boy was that a funny mix up. Apparently seeing Captain America and Falcon trying to sneak up on you was enough to send anyone running. Good thing Mr. Stan was cool with everything once the two idiots explained themselves. After an autograph and some pictures, Sam and Steve sulked back onto the jet to head home.

Finding Bucky was proving to be far from easy.

Well, at least wedding planning was easy. Tony and Steve agreed on almost everything. The only thing they didn't agree in was cake flavour but they just compromised and decided to get two cakes. Tony and Steve had even brainstormed funny ways for Nicola to get involved. He was becoming more active as he grew and they both knew that he'd look adorable at the wedding.

Steve and Tony couldn't wait for their special day. They just knew it was going to be perfect. After all, their love was like a romance novel and getting married would be but another amazing chapter in their lives.

* * *

I have been waiting to make an MCU Sebastian Stan joke since Hot Tub Time Machine was referenced in Endgame. I'm feeling very proud of myself right now, you have no idea. So, our babies are getting married! I promise you won't have to wait long for the wedding. It's literally next chapter. Also next chapter there's going to be some sexy times. Some… kinky sexy times. Just warning you now and I'll remind y'all at the beginning of next chapter. I'll be seeing you soon. -Shadows


	24. I Do!

IT'S WEDDING TIME! Just a reminder, this chapter will have some NSFW elements at the end. Look for the UMTB so if you don't want to read it you won't have too. I'll see y'all at the end. Enjoy the wedding!

* * *

Tony and Steve got married on March 14th, 2015, when Nicola was just a little bit over 8 months old. The months leading up to the wedding had been a whirlwind. There were some local battles that Steve and the others had to go fight. Nicola had his first Halloween where Tony dressed him up as a tiny little pumpkin. They had their first Christmas as a family and Steve made sure to take lots of pictures to show Nicola when he was older. Plus there was all the wedding stuff that needed to be done. For something that would be an admittedly small affair, there was tonnes of work that needed to be done.

But now, everything was ready and in place and it was time for the two lovers to get married.

"So Tones, you ready?" asked Rhodey as he helped Tony fix up his tie. Happy was over in the corner playing with Nicola and smiled at the two brothers.

"More than ready." Smiled Tony as he looked over himself in the mirror. His hair was all fluffed up and he wore a bit of eyeliner to bring out his eyes. His suit was black with a dark red vest and matching tie. He looked good.

"No second thoughts? No cold feet?" joked Rhodey and Happy snickered in the corner.

"You know what… no. Despite everything, I don't have any second thoughts. I know that Steve loves me and Nicola. I know that my brain is going to have those dark thoughts where I think that Steve doesn't love me, but I know better. I know that this is right. I know that Steve loves me. I know that this is going to work." And the wonderful thing was, Tony truly believed the words he said. He loved Steve and Steve loved him back. They were going to get married and continue to raise Nicola together. They were going to be a family.

"I'm so happy for you Tones. I never thought I'd get to see the day where my little brother is getting married and I couldn't be happier."

"Well, It's almost time. Should we start heading down to the ballroom?" asked Happy and Tony nodded.

He scooped Nicola into his arms and took a second to just look at how cute his baby looked before they left. Nicola was wearing a teeny tiny baby suit complete with a Captain America bowtie and little Iron Man socks. He just looked so precious. Tony made sure to get loads of pictures of how cute his baby was.

Meanwhile while Tony was getting ready with Rhodey and Happy, Steve was having his own little freak-out with Sam and Tasha. Clint was with his wife and kids in the ballroom already along with Fury, Maria Hill, Pepper, Thor, and Bruce. Peggy was too ill to make it but they promised to take loads of pictures for her. So, all in all, it was going to be a very small wedding, hence why it was being held at the tower.

But back to Steve's freak-out.

"What if he's changed his mind? What if Tony doesn't want this anymore?" questioned Steve as he paced back and forth thought the room. Sam and Tasha just stood off to the side and sighed in frustration. This had been going on all morning.

"Steve, Tony hasn't changed his mind. He looks at you like you've hung the moon. He's stupidly in love with you and is excited to marry you. If Tony didn't want to marry you he would have told you. Now stop being stupid and finish getting ready." Snapped Natasha after she'd had enough. Steve just nodded along dumbly and let Sam help him with his vest and tie. Steve's outfit was the same as Tony's, just in a dark blue that brought out his eyes.

So, with a little bit of last-minute beard and hair fixing with help from Natasha, and some last words of encouragement from Sam, Steve was ushered out the door and towards the ballroom.

Once there Steve said hello to his friends and received a hug from Laura Barton who Steve was glad to finally meet before he made his way up to the altar where Fury was waiting. Fury was officiating the entire thing. He'd always had a soft spot for Tony and considered this his apology for his behaviour and carelessness during the whole palladium poisoning incident.

Thankfully for Steve's nerves, he didn't have to wait very long for things to begin. The music began and Steve shifted on his feet in anticipation.

Happy got the honour of carrying baby Nicola down the aisle. They gave Nicola a little basket of flower petals to throw and Nicola was doing an amazing job. Sure, Happy had to stop a few times to make sure that Nicola didn't eat any of the petals, but the scene was just so precious that everyone was smiling and laughing. Steve gave his baby boy a little kiss on the head before Happy took him to standoff at the side.

Next to enter was Rhodey and Tony. Rhodey was the one escorting Tony down the aisle. But Steve didn't really care about Rhodey. He only had eyes for Tony. And Tony looked absolutely stunning. His eyes were shining, his hair was all fluffy, Tony was the picture of a happy man.

As Tony and Rhodey reached the alter Rhodey gave Tony one last hug before passing him off to Steve. Both lovers smiled at each other before taking each other's hands and waiting for Fury to start.

"Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today because two of our very own have finally figured their sh- stuff out and are finally getting married." Everyone laughed a bit as Fury struggled not to swear for the benefit of all the tiny humans in the room.

"Now, Tony and Steve have saved me the trouble and have written their own vows. Stark if you will."

Tony looked down and smiled for a second before looking back up at Steve. The two of them were just so happy that neither had stopped smiling.

"Steve," began Tony, "I'm thankful every day that I get to be with you. Sometimes I think that the universe is lying, but then you smile at me and I know that you are mine. You and Nicola hold my entire heart in your hands. I can't imagine what life would be like without you. I promise to always be there for you as you have for me. I promise to love you forever. I can't promise that I won't be a reckless idiot sometimes in battle, but you knew what you were getting into when you asked me out." There were a few chuckles in the room. "But Steve, I want you to know how much I love you and our little family. I know I'm not always good at showing things, so I'll just out and say it. I love you Steve Rogers and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

By the time Tony was done with his vows, he had tears in his eyes. But then again, so did Steve. And Steve couldn't wait to share his vows with Tony.

"Tony, my heart. I can't imagine where I would have ended up if I'd never met you. I love you so much. You make me so incredibly happy. You make every day worth living. You and our son are my entire world. When I was unfrozen from the ice after 70 years, I had no direction in my life. I only had memories of the distant past. You gave me a future to look forward to. You gave me purpose. You gave me love and happiness. I can't imagine a life where we don't know each other. Anthony, I love you with everything in my heart. I can't wait to spend forever with you at my side."

Steve and Tony were very openly crying by the time they had each finished their vows. So was everyone else. Happy was the worst offender by far, but Clint and Pepper weren't far behind. There was just so much love in the room and everyone could feel it. These two idiots were made for each other.

"Alright, Anthony Edward Stark, do you take Steven Grant Rogers as your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health?" asked Fury as he continued the ceremony along.

"I do." Whispered Tony with a smile. His words were for Steve and all his love went into them. "With this ring, I wed thee." Tony pulled the ring out of his pocket and slid it perfectly onto Steve's ring finger.

"Steven Grant Rogers, do you take Anthony Edward Stark as your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health?"

"I do." Smiled Steve as he began to slid the wedding ring onto Tony's hand right on top of the engagement ring. "With this ring, I wed thee."

The rings they'd chosen were a matching pair. They were made from Tony's gold-titanium alloy with a vibrainium band in the middle taken from Steve's shield. It was literally the two of them coming together to create a bond. They were perfect.

"Well then, by the powers vested in me by the state of New York I now pronounce you two married. Now go kiss your husband you fools."

The two smiled before wrapping their arms around each other and finally sharing their first kiss as a married couple. It was like fire and ice. Like coming home after a long day. It was heated but full of love. It was amazing.

All their friends were cheering as the two kissed. This had been a long time coming and their friends were so happy to see them coming together at last. After the two broke apart Happy placed baby Nicola in his parent's arms so he could be showered in their love. Soon after all their friends came up to give them hugs and congratulations. It felt perfect.

After all the hoopla, it was time for pictures. They took so many. There were ones with the team. Ones with just Tony and his family. Ones with just Nicola, Tony, and Steve. Then there were the ones of just Tony and Steve. The ones that showcased their love. The two newlyweds looked so happy together. It was like their world was finally complete. They had their friends. They had their family. They had everything they could ever need to be happy. And they were well and truly happy.

The reception was held back up on the common floor of the Avengers living space. Sure, they could have had a fancy reception with fancy catering, but it just wasn't them. There was something special about everyone working together to make a meal. There was laughter and jokes. Even Fury was having a good time. He and Steve cuddled together at the table with Nicola in their arms while their friends made toasts to them and told stupid stories. The whole time the newlyweds couldn't stop smiling.

"So, how does it feel to be married Mr. Stark-Rogers?" smiled Steve as he gave Tony a little kiss while their friends laughed.

"It feels amazing Mr. Stark-Rogers."

After dinner, it was time for dessert. Baking wasn't really any of the team's strong suit so they'd ended up ordering a whole bunch of cakes, chocolates, and pastries. There was even a little cupcake for Nicola that the picky baby was more than happy to munch on.

Their first dance as a married couple was adorable. Steve had picked out some song from back when he was a kid and the two swayed together while their friends watched. Tony and Steve didn't notice their friends though. They only had eyes for each other

Halfway through the festivities, Tony sat off to the side while he watched his friends dance and party. He had Nicola in his arms and was smiling as his baby drank from his bottle. They'd been trying to introduce Nicola to baby food but it was a slow process. Nicola wasn't having any of it so they were forced to keep up with the breast milk. Tony had started pumping milk into a bottle for Nicola in an attempt to save his nipples from any more pain. With Nicola teething, breastfeeding just wasn't going to do anymore.

People took turns watching Nicola as they drank and danced the night away. Nobody had any qualms about spending time with the baby. Everyone loved Nicola. He was such a chill baby with such chubby little cheeks that it was impossible not to look at Nicola and not fall in love.

But, at the end of the night, it was Rhodey who would be taking care of the baby for the next day so that Tony and Steve could enjoy some time alone as a newly married couple. He was the top uncle after all. Plus Rhodey was happy to help. He never thought he'd get to see his little brother get married. He thought that Tony's self-destructive tendencies would have robbed him of this. Everyone was glad that they hadn't.

"I know I've pumped enough milk for him but at least try to get Nicola to eat some of his baby food." Fretted Tony as Steve took his hand and tried to coax Tony into leaving at the end of the night.

"I've got everything under control Tones. Tony go spend some time with your husband. Nico and I will be fine." Smiled Rhodey as he waved the two newlyweds off.

Tony blew one last kiss towards Nicola and allowed Steve to drag him away back up to their room in the tower. The whole time they were holding hands but both knew that things would get more then R rated once they got back home.

UMTB

The moment that Steve and Tony had closed the door to their room they were all over each other. They kissed as though their lives depended on it and Steve took great joy in drawing out those sweet little moans from Tony's lips. Steve pulled Tony towards the bed, their lips never leaving each other. With a wicked smile on his face, Steve pushed Tony onto the bed and climbed on top of him.

"Fuck Tony. You look so beautiful. And you're mine! All mine! Gonna make you feel so good tonight darlin'. Gonna make you cum so hard you pass out sweet thing." Growled Steve as he all but ripped off his shirt and tie.

"Please. Fuck, please, Steve." Pleaded Tony and Steve leant down to capture his lips in a bruising kiss.

Steve got right to work bringing his partner pleasure. It had been a while since he and Tony had gotten to actually have penetrative sex together. They had to stop sex about halfway through Tony's pregnancy because of the sickness and once Nicola was born they just didn't have the time for anything else but quickies in the shower when Nicola was down for a nap.

Now Steve had time to truly give Tony all the pleasure he deserved.

The two newlyweds were quick to pull off each other's clothes. Sure, they agreed that the other looked incredibly sexy in their suits, but they looked so much better with them off. Once they were naked, Steve pushed Tony onto his back and grabbed the lube and condoms from the bedside table. The condom was important because even though they loved Nicola, they weren't ready to have any more babies just yet. They wanted to wait till Nicola was a little bit older.

"Fuck Tony, you look like pure sin. So sweet and good for me." Husked Steve as he kissed down Tony's body and began toying with Tony's already abused nipples.

"Fuck! Steve! Steve!" cried out Tony as Steve pinched one nipple and sucked at the other with his mouth.

"That's it, Tony. Just let me take control. Let me make you scream."

Steve spent what felt like hours toying with Tony's body before the sounds that Tony was making really started to get to him. Steve quickly picked up the lube and coated his fingers as he pushed Tony's legs apart to admire his greedy hole. Fuck Tony looked so perfect beneath him. Like a pretty little present just waiting for Steve to enjoy him. With a smirk, Steve circled Tony's rim a few times just to tease before he slowly thrust one finger in.

"Fuck, Steve! Steve! Steve!" cried out Tony as Steve started to move.

He quickly devolved into sweet little moans and Steve was quickly losing his mind. The sounds Tony made were amazing, and they were all for Steve. Only Steve could make Tony feel this good. Only Steve could bring Tony the pleasure he needed. Steve smirked as he added another finger and Tony's eyes rolled back in his head.

By the time Steve was three fingers deep, Tony wasn't even able to form words. He was just moaning and grinding back on Steve's hand. This was Steve's own personal pornography. This was all for him and it made the beast inside him purr. Steve knew that Tony was ready and Steve just had to take him. He carefully pulled his fingers free much to Tony's displeasure and ripped open the condom and slide it one. He positioned himself at Tony's entrance and kissed a few stray tears from Tony's eyes as he got ready.

"Don't worry Baby Doll. I've got you. I'll give you what you need." Smirked Steve and with a great thrust, Steve entered his husband for the first time as a married couple.

"STEVE!"

"Oh fuck Tony. You feel so good. So hot. Fuck baby can't believe you're mine." Growled Steve as he began thrusting into his love at a steady pace while making sure to hit Tony's prostate with every thrust. They both knew that this wasn't going to last very long so they quickly made the most of it.

"Steve. Steve. Steve. Steve." Tony chanted his name like his own personal mantra. His arms came up to wrap around Steve's shoulder while his legs fell further open so Steve could just take.

"That's right baby. Make you feel so good."

Steve could feel Tony's walls beginning to tighten so he sped up his thrusts a bit. He sat up for a more favourable change of angle. The new angle pulled Tony onto his lap and Steve started to use Tony like his own personal flesh-light. Tony just rested his head on Steve's collarbone and let Steve use him. Tony loved sex with Steve. It was the one place where he could just relinquish control and let Steve make him feel good. Steve loved it too. He preferred to be in control and loved seeing Tony's reactions to his ministrations.

As Steve bounced Tony in his cock he began sucking dark hickies high on Tony's neck. He wanted to show the world that Tony belonged to him. Sure they had their wedding rings, but this was more primal. A claim that nobody could ignore.

"Steve! Steve! I'm gonna… I'm gonna…" mewled Tony as his body began to tense up.

"That's it, Tony. That's it. Cum for me sweetheart. Cum on my cock." Urged Steve as he sped up his thrusts. He was feeling just as close as Tony was.

And with one final thrust, Tony came had with a cry of Steve's name. But Steve didn't let up as Tony spent himself between their bodies. He kept thrusting in hard chasing his own release. The sensation was too much and Tony felt his eyes roll back in his head as he passed out limp in Steve's arms.

A few seconds later Steve came with his own grunt of Tony's name. Steve just held Tony safely in his arms as he caught his breath. He soon laid Tony back on the bed and smiled as he saw that he'd fucked Tony unconscious. Tony looked so sweet like that. Asleep and safe. Satisfied from Steve's work. Steve quickly tied off the condom and threw it in the trash as he got up to grab a washcloth so he could quickly clean up the mess they'd made.

Once all the clean up was done, Steve laid down on the bed and pulled Tony into his arms with a smile. They were married. They were together forever, joined in love and happiness. Life couldn't get better. Steve gave Tony a little kiss on the forehead as he pulled to covers around them before falling asleep himself.

And the next morning when they woke up in each other's arms as married men, well, things just felt even better.

* * *

Our babies are married! I hope you guys liked the chapter. It was fun to write. Mini waring. The next chapter may take a little bit longer than usual to come out. You'll find out why when it does. Let's just say that completely reworking a movie is a bit difficult. I'll see you guys soon. -Shadows.


	25. A glimpse into the future

Welcome to "I rework an entire movie so only the beginning happens because I don't like it!" I hope you enjoy your stay. I'm sorry to any Maximoff or Vision stans. Also Fuck Stane! Also also, I may or may not be rehashing something in used in my fic More Than He Seems. Sorry, not sorry. I'll see you at the end. Also, I used Google translate for the Italian because my Italian sucks. I'm fluent in French not Italian.

ps. I may or may not have shed a few tears while writing a part in the middle. You'll find out soon.

* * *

When baby Nicola was 10 months old he said his first word. He'd been babbling whenever someone talked to him or he wanted attention, but until that point, Nicola hadn't said anything that even remotely sounded like a word. But once Nicola started talking he was unstoppable.

It all started on a sunny afternoon right before Tony's birthday. The Avengers were out and about doing their own thing, Steve was cleaning up after lunch, and Tony was trying to get Nicola to eat just a little bit more of his smashed peas.

"Dai, bambino, solo un altro piccolo boccone. Ancora un altro per la mamma?" (Come on bambino just one more little bite. Just one more for Mama?)

Nicola swatted the spoon full of smashed peas out of Tony's hand with a giggle. Tony just sighed and knelt down to pick up the fallen spoon. But, just as Tony was cleaning up the mess he felt a little foot kick his shoulder and heard a little shout of "Mama!"

Tony sat up instantly and looked at his baby boy. His baby boy that had just said his first word!

"Steve!" shouted Tony and the man came running over from the kitchen only to see Tony on the floor with a huge smile on his face.

"Watch this. Nicola Bambino, di mamma." (say mama)

"Mama!"

Steve looked on in amazement as Tony smiled even brighter and pulled Nicola out of his highchair and into his arms.

"That was his first word!" cheered Steve once he was drawn out of his head at the shock of the situation.

"It was! Steve! I'm his first word! I'm his first word!"

Steve just responded by pulling his husband and son into his arms and giving Tony a kiss. Tony was so scared that he'd turn out like his own father and that Nicola would grow up resenting and fearing him from day one. The fact that Nicola's first word had been Mama was just what Tony needed for a little self-confidence boost.

From there Nicola picked up new words like a sponge. His second word was Dada and Steve vehemently denied that he'd cried. Nicola's third word was No! That very quickly became his favourite word and the word most often used at mealtime especially when confronted with those dastardly smashed peas.

Soon enough it was Nicola's first birthday. It was a quiet affair with just the Avengers, Happy, and Pepper. Rhodey had recently become an official Avenger so it was even more of an excuse to celebrate. There was a cake and balloons. Nicola took great joy in having more fun with the wrapping paper then with his gifts. Tony and Steve took a fuck tonne of pictures. It was a great day.

That night, after Nicola was put to bed, Tony took Steve off to their room to give his husband a special birthday present of his own. So, in the light of the Fourth of July fireworks streaming through the windows, Tony and Steve had their own little private party complete with a little surprise from Victoria's Secret.

Unfortunately, the jovial mood didn't last for very long after.

In early August the Avengers were called out on a mission. SHIELD had located the HYDRA base that was housing the sceptre that Loki used during the New York attack and it was the Avenger's job to retrieve the sceptre and gather intel while taking down the base.

Tony was worried about this mission. This was his first mission since he'd gotten pregnant and had his darling baby boy. Tony didn't want to leave his baby. He wanted to stay at home with Steve and Nicola and just ignore the world. But he couldn't do that. Tony had a responsibility to the world and his team to help protect people as Iron Man. This was his job and Tony knew that. But he didn't have to like leaving his baby.

"Are you sure you'll be alright watching three kids by yourself while pregnant?" Tony asked Laura one last time as the Avengers prepared to board the jet.

"I'll be fine Tony. Cooper and Lila are old enough to handle themselves for a bit if I need a moment and Nicola is such a calm baby. We'll be fine."

Tony looked a bit skeptical but he trusted Laura to call Pepper of Happy if she really needed help with all the little gremlins. So, Tony could only give his baby one last kiss along with Steve and boarded the jet along with the others.

"You doing alright darlin'?" asked Steve as they started to fly over the Atlantic.

"I don't like leaving our baby. He's still so little and leaving just reminds me that he's going to grow up and not need us anymore." Sighed Tony as he finished doing one last check of the Iron man armour.

"Nicola will be fine Tony. Laura's keeping an eye on him. And as for him growing up and not needing us, that doesn't matter. Even if Nicola doesn't need us anymore that doesn't mean that he'll stop loving us. You're a good mom Tony and Nicola loves you very much. Nothing will change that."

The rest of the flight was pretty calm. Everyone finished their last gear checks and Steve started running everyone thought the strategy they were going to use. Everyone knew that plan and what to do once they landed in Sokovia. The only wild cards were Tony and Rhodey. They received so much data from JARVIS and processed it so much faster than they had the all good to make split-second decisions on the field. Explanations could wait when lives were on the line.

The Avengers hit the ground running. Thor, Tony, and Rhodey went out towards the base to do some scouting while everyone else including the Hulk started to take down the smaller bunkers in the forest surrounding the city.

"SHIT!" shouted Tony as he got closer to the main bunker and ended up ramming into a forcefield.

"Language!" shouted back Steve over the coms. He instantly regretted that. He'd been so used to watching his language around his son that it just slipped out.

With everyone giggling over Steve's little slip-up, they missed a new player on the field. It wasn't until Clint got knocked over and called an old man that they realized that there were more people fighting back against them.

"We have an enhanced on the field. Looks like some kind of super speed. Keep an eye open."

It turned out that the speedy kid wasn't the only enhanced on the field. Once Tony was able to take down the forcefield with a little help from Rhodey, they were able to infiltrate the base. Steve started at the top of the tower with Sam as back up while Tony took down the lower levels and started the information transfer back to SHIELD after he'd gotten out of his suit. Everyone else finished the clean up outside and got Clint transferred back to the jet. He'd taken a small hit and was being a bit of a baby about it.

"Please be a secret door. Please be a secret door. Please be a secret door." Chanted Tony as he put some pressure on a section of wall that was giving off a pretty serious draft. Hopefully, it would lead somewhere important.

"Yay!"

As Tony descended the slightly damp stairs downwards he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He wasn't alone here be he couldn't see anyone else. Something was off about this place. Something felt like it just didn't belong. Tony didn't know how to explain it, but it felt like he was about to walk into another reality. Either way, he soldiered on. The sceptre had to be down here he just knew it.

While Tony made his way into the underbelly of the base, Steve and Sam had the opportunity to take down Strucker. He was… surprisingly easy to take out. He didn't even put up a fight. He just stood there and talked and Steve and Sam got closer. He was so calm and nobody knew why. Well, they didn't know until Steve got magically pushed down the stairs by a woman with flaming red hair.

"We have a second enhanced on the field. Do not engage." Announced Steve over the coms as he got back up and clocked Stucker in the face. The man went down like a sack of potatoes.

"Guys, I've got Strucker." Spoke Steve as he and Sam finished tying the tyrant up.

"Yeah, and I've got… something bigger."

Tony had finally gotten to the basement of the hideout and was shocked by what he saw. There were piles upon piles of old, used, rusted metal and robots. There were giant Chitauri Leviathans suspended ominously in the air. Their dead eyes stared back at Tony and he felt his breathing pick up. Tony's hands shook as he walked further into the room. Seeing all of this took Tony right back to the Battle of New York. Right back to the wormhole, and falling, and having a heart attack not long after. He hated to think about what had happened.

But, just as Tony's thought were about to take a turn for the worst, he spotted it. Right in the corner of his eye was the deadly blue glow of the sceptre. It was just sitting there on a table as if it had been abandoned when they attacked the base.

"Thor! I've found it. You should start heading over to my location."

"I'll be right there. I just need to make sure that Clint's alright." Spoke Thor in his usual booming voice that continued to short out everyone's earpieces.

"I can be down there in a couple of minutes Tony. Sam and I are just finishing up with Strucker."

"Take your time Steve. I've got it handled."

Tony did not have it all handled.

Just as Tony was getting closer to the sceptre he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Tony stopped and looked around for a second before he felt some hands near his face and his vision went all red with a yellow tint. Tony blinked his eyes a few times to get his vision straightened out but what he opened his eyes again he wasn't in the same room he'd started in.

The place where Tony was now could only be described as a wasteland. The ground was all torn up, the sky was clouded over with layers of smoke and ash, he was surrounded by the remnants of what must have been a huge building.

Tony slowly stepped out from where he was and saw that he wasn't alone. He was far from alone. There were screams and shouts coming from every direction. Tony had found himself in an active battlefield. He looked out over the scene and saw a giant ship in the sky along with hundreds of Chitauri ships. A giant purple man was commanding his forces against who must be the heroes. Tony tried to go and run so he could find a suit but stopped the second he saw a couple familiar faces. He saw Clint going wild with his bow, Thor summoning lighting, Rhodey flying with a fucking raccoon on his back, and Steve was leading the charge with a broken shield.

Tony looked on in confusion. This wasn't right. Nothing about this was right. First of all, everyone looked different. It was just slight differences but it was enough to throw Tony off. First up Clint's hair looked funny. It was done up in a bad mohawk that just didn't look good. Thor looked really different. His hair and beard were longer and he was looking a little bit heftier. He was still kicking ass and taking names as lightning shot from the strange axe he was holding, but Tony wondered what had happened to Thor to have him looking like that. Tony looked up at the sky and saw that Rhodey's suit was different. It was more refined then the current model Tony was fine-tuning for him. And then there was Steve. He looked so much older and battle-worn. Like he's been carrying deep secrets and lost love on his shoulders for years.

This was not his Steve. This was not his world.

And when Tony saw himself streaking across the battlefield towards a kid swinging around in a red and blue metal suit he knew that this wasn't his home. The alternate Tony looked so thrilled to have that kid back. Tony wondered what had happened. The Alternate Tony also looked way different. He looked like Loki had never hit him with the de-ageing spell. His hair was greying and his eyes looked weary. He looked so sad and scared.

And then the fighting got worse. So many players were going down. There was a breach in the dam holding back the water, people were running out of ammunition, it was a nightmare. And that purple guy, he just stood there and smiled at the scene. Tony caught some people including a group of amazing badass ladies take hold of this glove and try to get it to this ugly brown van. Tony wondered why Natasha wasn't there with the rest of them. She'd surely have gotten a kick out of the whole situation.

But things continued to get worse. So many more people started to fall. Tony saw Steve go down as well as Thor and he wanted to run and help them but he couldn't move. The world was dying and he couldn't move. Soon enough Tony saw a blonde woman wearing blue, gold, and red grapple with the purple guy only to get knocked down as well. The purple guy put the glove on his hand with a yell of victory. He could feel the loss and fear in the air.

It looked like the purple guy was seriously about to win the fight when Tony saw a man in a fucking sentient cape hold up one finger with a sad look on his face. Alternate Tony's face fell before he rushed forward to grab at the purple guy. He didn't do well and was thrown back. Tony's heart sunk.

"I am inevitable." Sneered the purple man as he snapped his fingers.

But nothing happened. The man snapped his fingers again and looked on in confusion as he turned over the glove and saw empty places were stones used to sit. That was when Tony looked over at his alternate self. The man was kneeling on the ground. The stones were carving deep wounds in the armour and his face and arm were slowly burning. Tony wanted to shout and scream for is alternate self to stop but he couldn't make any sound come out. Tony was scared and he saw the same emotion mirrored in his alternates eyes. He was scared but also determined.

"And I… Am… Iron Man." Spoke his alternate self before he snapped.

The world went white and suddenly Tony was back in the dilapidated bunker.

His mind was racing. He had no idea what had just happened. Tony fell to his knees as he felt tears fall down his face. His hands were shaking and he felt so incredibly empty inside. It was if he'd just died. Tony was scared. Stupidly, incredibly scared. He had no words to prosses what he'd just seen. It was like he just watched all of his worst fears come to life.

"Tony! Anthony!" shouted Steve as he entered the room. Tony didn't respond. He didn't move. He couldn't move.

Steve knelt down in front of Tony and took his shaking hands in his. Steve looked so scared as he tried to get through to Tony, but Tony just sat there and shed silent tears as he looked off with unseeing eyes.

"Anthony darlin', what happened? What happened sweet thing?" pleaded Steve as he pulled his catatonic husband into his arms. Tony just let Steve hold him as his mind raced.

Seconds later Steve saw movement out of the corner of his eyes. The two enhanced individuals. The woman was sitting on the floor while the man was comforting her. Something bad must have happened down here.

"Thor! I need back up right now to my location!" commanded Steve through the coms. Thor was there seconds later with containment for the sceptre.

"What happened here?"

"I don't know. Tony's really not doing well. We need to get him back home as well as the sceptre. We also need to take the two enhanced into custody."

Thor nodded and got to work securing the sceptre. The two enhanced came into custody without a fight both too shaken by whatever happened. Steve didn't pay then any mind. He just took his beloved into his arms and made his way to the jet. Tony stayed silent the whole time and just clung to Steve with shaking hands.

"What the hell happened?" asked Rhodey as Steve stumbled onto the jet with Tony in his arms.

"I don't know." Was all Steve could say as he sat down on a bench and cuddled Tony close in an attempt to bring his husband some comfort.

Not long after, Thor returned with the sceptre after placing the enhanced in SHIELD custody and the jet took off speeding towards home. The atmosphere in the jet was considerably subdued as they quietly talked about the mission and what to do next. Steve didn't really contribute to the conversation. He just sat there with his husband in his arms and offered all the comfort he could in that cramped little jet.

With less than an hour into the flight Tony's demeanour changed. For the longest time, he just sat there with Steve staring off into space, his mind racing with what he saw. But as they got closer and closer to home, all the emotions with what he'd witnessed seemed to catch up with Tony and in seconds he was bawling his eyes out.

"Tony darlin'. Shh. It's alright baby. I've got you. You're safe." Soothed Steve as he held Tony closer.

Everyone on the jet was concerned. Sam put the jet on autopilot and soon enough the whole team was gathered around offering some form of comfort. Tony was the most vulnerable and most valuable member of the team. They hated seeing him hurting.

After a little while Tony finally began to calm down. His breath was still shaky and his arms were a bit red from where he'd tried to scratch himself before Steve stopped him. He looked like a wreck and the team needed answers so they could better protect their friend.

"Tony, can you tell us what happened?" asked Natasha.

And oh how Tony wanted to lie and keep all of this bottled up. He wanted to spare everyone else the pain of what he saw. Hell, he didn't want to relive it himself! But, because of Loki's stupid curse he was stuck telling the truth about what had happened in the basement.

Tony told them everything. Every horrible detail. He left nothing out. Once he'd started talking he couldn't stop. The words just spilled from his lips as his breathing became more frantic. Everyone's eyes widened as Tony spoke. The fact that he was giving very specific details about what he'd seen had everyone worried. This wasn't some normal mind manipulation. This was something much viler.

"But this wasn't a normal vision. I know it wasn't. it felt so different. This was real. It was all real. Somewhere out there that really happened. Please believe me. Please believe me…" pleaded Tony as he shook in Steve's arms.

"Hey Tony. Shh. I believe you alright. I will always believe you but if you don't calm down soon I'll need to take you to medical once we land. You're working yourself up so much that you're going to get sick." Worried Steve but Tony was no longer listening. His face was stark white and he looked ill.

Thankfully the jet landed at the tower about 10 minutes later. They'd radioed ahead to let medical know what was going on. Clint was quickly looked after on the jet while Steve carried Tony down to medical. Steve knew it was bad because Tony wasn't even fighting going down to medical. Dr. Cho ended up sedating Tony just so he could get some much-needed rest and oxygen. She ended up doing some brain scans. There was magical residue that matched with the scans they'd just taken from the Maximoff girl they'd just captured, but there was also residue that matched up 1% with readings taken from the sceptre.

While Tony was sleeping off all the trauma of the day in medical, Steve left for a little bit to check up on everyone else. Clint was fine and his wife was fussing over him and the others were shaken but holding steady.

"Thor, that sceptre. I suggest taking it to Asgard. It's only causing harm here and I'm sure you're people are more equipped to deal with magical artifacts causing problems." Spoke Steve as he reached down and pulled his son into his arms from his highchair.

"Of course. I don't like the idea of an Infinity Stone being here on Earth."

"What's an Infinity Stone?" asked Sam.

"I will explain everything once I get back. It's a very long explanation and it will work better once everyone is feeling a bit better." Everyone nodded. It had been a long day and they needed the rest.

Soon after, everyone separated for the evening. Steve took Nicola down to medical so they could be with Tony. Tony was still sleeping and Nicola was down for the count so Steve placed his baby next to Tony and climbed onto the bed as well. He felt better in the tiny room in medical with his husband and son. He could protect them there. Nothing would hurt his family while he had them all together and safe.

About an hour later Tony slowly woke up. He was looking better now that he'd had some sleep and time to calm down.

"Hey there sleepy head." Joked Steve as he scooped Nicola up and placed him in Tony's arms.

"Hey, Steve." Smiled Tony sleepily as he looked down at his son.

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired. Sorry for freaking out like that." Sighed Tony and Steve frowned.

"Tony you don't ever have to be sorry for that. From what you described your reaction was justified. Shoot, even I was freaked out and that was just from hearing everything. Never feel sorry for being human Tony."

Tony just frowned but didn't fight Steve. Tony trusted Steve and if Steve said that he was allowed to react the way he did then Tony would believe him.

"So… when do you think I can get out of here? I'm hungry and I want to sleep in our own bed."

"We can leave right now. Dr. Cho said we could go after you woke up."

Steve gently helped Tony to his feet and held him and his son close as they made their way back up to their room. Steve got Tony and Nicola situated in bed while he got some food ready. He grabbed some baby food for Nicola and made a dozen grilled cheese sandwiches for Tony and himself. The family spent the rest of the night together. They just needed time to be a family after the cluster fuck that was their afternoon.

The next morning the entire team was called out to SHIELD HQ to figure out what to do with the Maximoff twins. Tony was pissed about having to go. He was just in medical and had honestly had a really bad day the day before. He was not prepared to deal with Fury's bullshit.

Once the team got there Fury and Hill were leading them to the cells they had specially made to deal with magic users. They'd made the cells after the whole Loki thing but it looked like neither of the Maximoffs were putting up a fight.

"Alright, you mother fuckers. Talk. Give us all the information you know about HYDRA and maybe, just maybe, we won't lock you up with all the other HYDRA scum we've managed to capture." Demanded Fury once everyone was seated and ready.

The twins got right to talking. They didn't have a whole lot of information on where bases where but they sure did know a whole lot about all the illegal human experimentation going on. They were able to give names as well as what little they knew about the formulas used to alter people's bodies. Apparently HYDRA wanted another superweapon after they'd lost track of Barnes.

"But that doesn't tell us why you joined up with Nazi terrorists in the first place." Hounded Fury.

"Because of him." Hissed Wanda as she pointed at Tony. "a decade ago one of his weapons hit our house and killed our parents. The bomb didn't go off. We sat there in the rubble for 4 days waiting for Tony Stark to kill us. He's a murderer. He should be dead, not our parents."

The team looked on a bit incredulously. A decade ago Stane was the one dealing under the table. He was the one stealing defective weapons to sell to terrorists. Also, it was stupid to blame the maker of the weapon and not the one who fired it.

"You do know that the weapons weren't Tony's fault, right?" asked Steve as he looked over at the twins with fury in his eyes. "The weapons were stolen and sold under the table to terrorist organizations by Tony's old business partner Obadiah Stane. He was the one fucking shit up."

Soon there was shouting and Tony started to curl in on himself. He was still feeling like shit from the day before and this whole situation wasn't helping.

"I thought this information was public knowledge?" questioned Tony softly once there was a break in the shouting.

Everyone stopped to look at Tony. Steve went over and pulled his husband into a hug while Fury started to look uncomfortable.

"You're hiding something, Nick. What is it?" demanded Steve as he looked on in anger.

"Well, SHIELD may have covered up the fact that Stane was dealing and stealing under the table and that he'd taken Stark's reactor to make his own suit before Stark and Potts ended up killing him. We didn't need the news getting out that terrorists had some of the most powerful weapons in the world." Explained Fury sheepishly.

And Tony, for all his fear and uncertainty, snapped. The whole reason he became Iron Man was for accountability and this just wouldn't do.

"Fury! How could you condone covering up Stane's actions!? The dealing under the table to HYDRA and terrorists was his damn fault and yet I'm the one blamed for it! The public needs to know what the hell is going on! I won't stand by and let ignorance win!" shouted Tony as he let go of Steve and got all up in Fury's face.

"How could you let this happen? People out there died because of Stane's actions. People out there are suffering because those weapons might still be out there and I don't know where they are because you've been hiding this information. How DARE you stand there and keep the truth hidden. How DARE you say you fight for the people when your lies are getting people killed."

Tony then proceeded to SLAP Fury in the face before Steve and Rhodey pulled him off of the director. All of the Avengers were fuming. Fury had no right to lie about all of this and risk the lives of many, including their own resident genius.

"Tony stop. He's not worth it." Spoke Rhodey but it wasn't a reprimand. He was more impressed by Tony's backhand then anything else.

"I'm calling Pepper. I need to set up a press conference. The public needs to know what happened." Grumbled Tony as he exited the room. Steve and Rhodey followed close behind while the other Avengers stayed to deal with Fury and the twins.

Once Pepper knew what was going on she agreed to set up a press conference for Tony. She agreed with him. The public needed to know the truth.

Three days later Tony was all dressed and ready for the conference. He wore a plain blue suit and had an orange stress ball in his pocket to keep his hands busy to help avoid a complete meltdown while he was regaling his tale to the masses.

"Tony are you sure you'll be alright to do this press conference. You took a big hit not even a week ago." Asked Steve as Tony got ready to go out.

"I'll be fine Stevie. I have to be. The public needs to know stuff like this. The sooner people know the sooner I can rest." Sighed Tony and Steve gave him a big hug of encouragement before Tony stepped out onto the stage and stood that the podium while cameras flashed a people began whispering. Tony stood there for a moment before taking a deep breath and beginning.

" Good afternoon everyone. I wish I was here under more exciting and happy circumstances. I wish I was here for some new product launch or something fun with the rest of the Avengers. Truth be told I should still be at home resting after taking a hit in the last mission. And yet I'm here. I'm here because something important has been withheld from the public without my knowledge concerning the creation of the Iron Man armour and the history of Stark Industries. This is going to be a long story so I ask that you leave your questions until the end. The world needs to know what happened so that people stop getting hurt."

"I'm sure that you all you remember back in 2008 when I was kidnapped for three months in Afghanistan. It's hard to forget, especially if you've seen the things I saw out there. "I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to protect them." Does that ring a bell for anybody? It should, it's from the press conference I put on the second I got back from captivity. Does anyone wonder how I know that? It was because Obadiah Stane, former COO of Stark Industries, was selling Stark weapons under the table to terrorist organizations without my knowledge. That was the whole reason he had me kidnapped and nearly killed in the first place. He didn't want me finding out and ruining his plans."

"Once I managed to escape using the first model of the Iron Man suit, that I might add I made in a cave, he acted all happy and yet fought me at every turn. It was pure luck that I discovered what he'd done. But by then the damage was done. People had been hurt. Innocent people who should never have gotten hurt because of Stane's actions and my own ignorance to them. Not long after I'd discovered what Stane did, I was almost killed a second time. This time at his hand. He ripped the arc reactor from my chest to power a suit of his own. You all remember the right I had against a much larger version of my suit the night before I came out as Iron Man, if you don't there's footage of YouTube. It was Stane in the suit that night. And he didn't die in a plane crash like I found out was said. He died when Pepper overloaded the arc reactor at SI's Malibu branch to save my life."

"Now why am I telling you all of this? All of the gritty details of my own trauma that personally I'd like to leave in the past. It's because I believe in accountability. The fact that this was hidden from you by the very organization that says they want to protect you is monstrous. SHIELD has been hiding this from you all for years without mine or Ms. Potts's knowledge and this is unacceptable."

"I will admit that there was a hell of a lot of ignorance on my part. I'm sorry for not checking the information SHIELD put forth sooner. If I had then this never would have been covered up. I wish I'd checked things sooner but then again at the time I was just almost murdered a second time by my godfather and then dying of palladium poisoning. But that's no excuse. I should have been more attentive."

"The fact that this was covered up is despicable. I want my son to grow up in a world where people are taken accountable for their actions. I refuse to let this deception continue. I only found out that this was being kept a secret myself a few days ago. I'm dory for taking so long to get this information out there but we did have to gather all the information so that nothing was hidden. No more deception."

Everyone was shocked as Tony finished talking. The fact that something big like this was hidden from everyone was a shock. The room erupted into chaos as people began shouting out questions. Tony tried to answer as many as he could but he was getting overwhelmed and exhausted. Everyone could see there weariness he was carrying and the pain he was feeling. Plus the fact that he was supposedly still on rest from the Avengers' last mission from only a few days ago pushed the press into actually not being complete assholes for once and letting Tony got back home so he could rest. They could ask more questions later. For now, they all had the story of the century.

The second Tony walked off the stage and behind the curtain, he collapsed into Steve's waiting arms and started crying. That whole conference was incredibly emotionally taxing. He was just so completely done for the day. Steve just held him and told him how good he was. It was the least he could do for the man he loved.

In the days that followed the press conference two things happened. First of all, SHIELD was in hot water with everybody for keeping the under the table sale of deadly weapons a secret from everybody. Second of all, despite past opinions of the man, the public rallied in support of Tony for coming out and telling the truth.

Tony was surprised. He thought that people would hate him for sure, but that wasn't the case. The public was praising the fact that Tony had told the truth as soon as he'd found out that it was being hidden from everybody. People started calling him "The People's Avenger". He was the one who was out there sticking up for the people and owning up to his mistakes. Nobody blamed him for Stane pulling the wool over his eyes. Anyone who remembered Stane saw that he was a master businessman. A master manipulator. Stane had been in Tony's life for a long time before the incident. It was enough time to manipulate Tony into only seeing what he wanted him to see.

And as for SHIELD, let's just say that they were in some hot water with the government and the UN. But that wasn't the Avengers problem.

Yet.

* * *

Alrighty, I guess it's explanation time. I'm guessing that for those of you who saw Endgame some of the scenes in Tony's vision looked a little familiar. There's a reason for that. The mind stone can control visions and is slightly sentient. The mind stone was also the stone that MCU Steve was able to return to this world after MCU Tony defeated Thanos. So, the stone "saw" the events of the MCU. So with the stone coupled with Wanda's powers which also came from the stone, Tony was able to see what happened. Yes I know that was lengthy but I liked the idea so I ran with it.

On another note, we've official avoided Ultron happening and with it the accords! Yay me! I'll still have Ross be an ass next chapter but I need some conflict and a reason for Fury to call someone a mother fucker. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Leave a comment of you feel so inclined. I'll be seeing you all soon. -Shadows


	26. Learning to forgive

Hey there guys! Who's ready for a new chapter? Also, there's a Far From Home Easter Egg in here so I'm hoping you've all seen it. It's time for "Civil War" but not actually because there are no accords but shit is still happening and we get our Bucky back. I'll be seeing you all at the end now.

Also, I hate Ross. I can guarantee you that if it was somebody else there to explain the accords then team cap would have signed and agreed with Tony and the others. Just saying.

* * *

Time continued on for the Avengers after the whole thing in Sokovia with HYDRA. Nicola had mastered the art of walking on his own and was not a force to be reckoned with. The number of times that Tony and Steve had to chase around a slippery wet toddler that ran off after bath time was insane. Laura Barton finally had her baby. She and Clint now had a little boy who they names Nathanial Phillip Barton. He was really cute and Tony couldn't wait till he was old enough to play with Nicola who was only a little over a year older.

Loki had finally shown his face again. Although, like always, he just showed up to cause some trouble. This time he set loose a swarm of slugs in Harlem that had everyone shaking their heads as they tried to clean them all up. And, in typical Loki fashion, he peaced out as soon as all the slugs were gone.

Once winter rolled along the Avengers got word of two more powered individuals going by Ant-Man and The Wasp. Ant-Man was a man named Scott Lang. He was an ex-convict who was responsible for the Vista Corp hacking. Tony was thoroughly impressed and offered Scott a job with SI after seeing that Scott had a master's in electrical engineering. Scott was hesitant to accept because of all the bad shit Hank PYM had said about the Stark family. But, after seeing that Tony was nothing like his father, Scott accepted stating that it would be good for his daughter Cassie to see him working as an honest man.

Hope was a whole different story. She and Tony had known each other a kids so it was a little bit awkward. She'd been raised hearing her father's rhetoric about Starks and it took all the other Avengers backing Tony up for her to agree to work in tentative terms.

Both Scott and Hope would mostly work out in California but would be there if they needed help.

It was mid-April 2016 when things took another turn for the worse. They just couldn't catch a break. It all started with Tony giving a presentation of his new therapy tech, B.A.R.F., at MIT. The presentation itself had gone alright. The tech had worked and Tony had shown it off by replaying the memory of when he'd met Rhodey for the first time at MIT. So while the presentation itself went well, what happened after did not.

"You will not believe the day I've had." huffed Tony once he'd finally gotten back home after a three-hour drive. "So this guy, Quinton Beck, he's on the team helping me work on B.A.R.F. Well, I just had to fire him because he wanted to use the tech to make weapons."

"What? Doesn't SI have a very strict no weapons thing?" asked Steve as he walked over to Tony from here he was in the kitchen. Nicola was sitting on the floor nearby having a great time playing with his stuffed bear.

"We do, but this asshat has decided that the drone tech used for the physical projections should be weaponized to psychologically torment people. Of course, I said that that was a horrible idea and I would never allow that to happen within the company. So, Beck threw a fit and kept demanding to have it weaponized and went as far as to say he was going to steal the patent and do it himself. So, I fired him. Pepper backed me up."

"Why can't people get it through their heads that you don't do that kind of stuff anymore? It's stupid. Although, you should keep an eye on this guy just to make sure he doesn't try anything malicious."

"Good idea."

The rest of the evening they spent together as a family. Everyone managed to make it home for dinner and everyone talked about their day. It was nice. They all ended up watching a movie together once all the kids went to bed.

The next morning however the team got some bad news. Some very bad news. It was just after breakfast and Tony was down in the lab finishing up a new project for SI when his phone rang. He looked down at the caller ID and saw it was his cousin Sharron Carter which was odd because Sharron never called. When she wanted to talk to Tony she'd just show up and wreak havoc.

"Hey, Share-bear. What's up?" asked Tony, a bit confused.

"I have some bad news." Came Sharron's voice over the phone. She sounded like she'd been crying.

"What's going on? Is everything alright?"

"Not really. I'm uh… I'm at the care home. Aunt Peggy just passed away." Sharron started crying anew and Tony soon followed. Bother were upset. Peggy had been such a prominent figure in their lives and it hurt that she wasn't there anymore.

The two cried and talked for a little while longer to sort out the funeral details before Tony hung up and began bawling his eyes out on the lab floor. He was getting so hysterical that JARVIS called for Steve who came racing down to the lab after leaving Nicola with Sam for a moment.

"Hey, Tony. What's wrong?" asked Steve gently as he knelt on the ground next to Tony.

"Sharron just called. Aunt Peggy just passed away." Wept Tony.

Upon hearing the news Steve pulled Tony into his arms and started crying himself. This was rough news and they needed each other to get through it. The two sat there for a while, just holding each other and crying. It took a while for them to calm down. Once they did all they wanted to do was be left alone with each other, but that wasn't an option. So, the two walked together back to the living room to retrieve Nicola and to tell the team what was going on that they'd been taking leave in two days' time for the funeral. Everyone was really supportive, especially Rhodey, who had met Peggy a few times and thought that she was badass and amazing.

The day of the funeral was a sombre affair. Tony and Steve were two of Peggy's pallbearers so Sharron sat with baby Nicola until they were done and the service began. It was a lovely service and even though everyone was sad they did everything they could to celebrate Peggy. Peggy wouldn't have wanted people to be sad.

When Tony went up to talk he told everyone about all the trouble he used to get into as a little kid and how Peggy was the one enabling it. Trouble like the great cookie heist of 75' or the time Peggy brought Tony to SHIELD with her and Uncle Daniel when he was 10 and home for the summer. He wanted to remember Peggy as a warm, loving person who wasn't afraid to have fun with her family.

Steve ended up sharing some old army stories. He talked about how Peggy was pretty much the only person who could keep his absolutely insane unit in line while back at base. But, then again, she wasn't afraid to just hang out with them all when they were playing cards or playing pranks on senior officers.

Sharron talked about how Peggy was her inspiration growing up. How she was a great role model for her and Tony when they were growing up. How Peggy was the one to encourage Sharron to follow her dreams and join SHIELD as an agent despite her mother hating the idea. How Peggy took no shit from anybody and how she was an amazing role model for all girls who wanted to do something more.

After the funeral, Sharron, Steve, and Tony all stayed together and went out for lunch. This was only the second time Sharron was meeting Nicola and it was exciting. She'd only met Nicola once before just a couple weeks after he was born. She'd been on an undercover op since then and had only gotten back a couple of weeks ago and hadn't had the chance to meet up with Tony yet. They all ate lunch together with Tony and Steve trying frantically to get more food in their toddler then on him. Nicola sure was a messy eater. Their antics made Sharron laugh which helped lighten the mood.

Two days after the funeral the entire team, including Scott and Hope, was called out to Vienna to talk with the UN about SHIELD and international oversight. Happy and Pepper came over to the tower to help Laura with the kids so none of the adults had to worry. The Avengers picked up Hope and Scott at the airport and they all too the Quin Jet together to Vienna. The flight was a bit boring but they made do. Scott entertained everyone by showing off some magic tricks he'd learned and then Thor put him to shame by showing off some of his magic.

Thor was soon after banned from using any lightning in enclosed spaces.

Once they arrived it was go time. The Avengers were quickly shuffled from meeting to meeting so they could all explain everything going on. The UN was concerned that with SHIELD being an America based intelligence agency that it would hinder the Avengers' work when they needed to cross international borders. Plus there was the fact that people like Fury were hiding information that should never have been hidden in the first place.

It wasn't like the Avengers had any problems with Fury. They liked Fury. Sure he was a bit annoying and grandiose, but he was a good man. It was the people above him on in the chain of command that were causing the problems within SHIELD. Sure, HYDRA had been purged from SHIELD for years now, but some of the replacements to the council were just as bad.

Case in point, Thaddeus Ross.

Every last Avenger hated Ross especially Bruce and Tony. Bruce hated him because of everything involved with the Hulk and Tony hated him because he hurt his friend. They were just lucky that Ross had no claim to the Hulk and Bruce was safe with all the other Avengers.

But at the moment Ross was being very annoying.

At every turn during the meeting, he tried to take control of everything, including the Avengers and most of Tony's tech. That resulted in a lot of yelling and maybe a panic attack or two on Bruce and Tony's front. Luckily the UN was full of many competent individuals and was quick to completely remove Ross from everything especially for what he did to Bruce and what he was threatening to do to Tony.

That man wasn't going to see the sun for a long time once they took him to trial.

The only good thing to come out of the whole thing was that the Avengers met King T'Chaka and Prince T'Challa of Wakanda. Bother were fair and just people who just wanted to help lookout for all the civilians out there.

During a lunch break on the second day of meeting the two royals came up to introduce themselves to each Avenger personally. It was really nice. None of the other UN delegates had talked to any of the Avengers. It was going great, well, until they got to Tony.

"Tony Stark-Rogers. Wakanda has heard much about your family in the past. I'm sure you're aware that your father stole vibranium from us." Spoke T'Chaka with an air of scrutiny as if he was trying to figure Tony out.

"Don't call that monster my father." Snapped Tony. He didn't mean to be mean to the royals but bringing up Howard was a big no-no.

"I take it he was as good a father as he was a person." Spoke T'Challa.

"Night on the nose. I'm not Howard and would appreciate it if we stop talking about him." The Wakandan's nodded and got the hint. Tony was not Howard and was more interested in the pursuit of actual science and helping people than hurting people. The royals wanted to make sure because they had an interesting proposition for the man.

"Well, seeing as how that's out of that way, there's a reason why my son and I have come over here. First of all, T'Challa here is also an enhanced individual as you would say. We're here to offer our support should you ever need it." Started T'Chaka as he looked over the group of heroes.

"I go by the Black Panther. I promise you that I'll be there should you need help." Smiled T'Challa. He looked so proud.

"And the second thing?" asked Scott. He wasn't being rude he was just excited. T'Chaka just laughed.

"Well, now that I have some confirmation on Stark here I would like to formally invite you, your husband, and your son to Wakanda to tour our labs and work on helping us introduce Wakandan technology to the world."

Tony and Steve and pretty much everyone else sat there in shock. Tony knew that Wakanda was famed for their vibrainum and he had a theory that they were hiding amazing things there. The fact that they wanted his help in introducing Wakanda to the world stage of technology was a huge honour. T'Chaka saw the looks on everyone's faces and continued.

"I ask this because my daughter Shuri has not shut up about you for years now ever since you unveiled your "deep-sea garbage eater". I believe she wanted to meet so she has someone of equal intelligence to talk too."

Tony looked on stupidly before he managed to find his voice again.

"… Absolutely your highness. I would be honoured." Tony's voice cracked a bit and Clint started laughing at him.

"Thank you. I'll just give Shuri a call so she knows."

T'Chaka pulled out his phone and dialled up his daughter. Tony couldn't help but admire the phone itself. It looked similar to the Stark Phone but with some differences. It probably also ram on some sort of vibranium energy.

"Hello, Baba! How're you and brother doing?" came a voice from the phone and T'Chaka smiled.

"We are well. I call because I have good news."

"And what would that be?"

"You're getting your wish. It looks like you'll have a new lab partner for a week or so in a few months."

The unholy shriek that emanated from the phone had most of the Avengers trying to stifle their laughter. Tony most of all.

"I look forward to meeting you Princess Shuri." Shouted Tony so she could hear him through the phone. The shrieking continued and now everyone was openly laughing.

T'Chaka excused himself to continue to talk to his daughter while T'Challa sat down with the Avengers and started to get to know them a bit better. He was actually fun to talk to. T'Challa was going to be a good fit for the team. He knew his beliefs but was open to suggestions and to training with the team when he was available. This was certainly going to be fun.

Once lunch concluded the Avengers and all the other delegated returned to finish hashing out some details. The Avengers were making sure that their demands were met on certain things and compromises were being mad where they could.

Luckily the UN and the Avengers came to a consensus. The Avengers would still work with SHIELD for things like gear and back up reinforcements but would report to the UN for missions. If there was an emergency the team absolutely had free rein to go in and stop the threat such as an alien invasion. The UN would clear things after the fact. Plus the Avengers could refuse mission if they had a problem with them. Everything worked out in the end and Ross was out of their hair.

Plus Tony was really excited to see Wakanda and all their tech.

That evening the Avengers found themselves free of meetings and with nothing to do for the next couple of days before they went back to the states. So naturally, the Avengers hit the town to have some fun. Most of the Avengers decided to hit the bars and have some fun. Tony and Steve, on the other hand, decided this was the perfect opportunity for a date night.

"This is nice." Smiled Steve as he and Tony walked hand in hand back to the hotel after a nice dinner together.

"It is."

"I miss being about to take you out like this. No responsibilities. No friends being annoying. Just you and me together."

"Yeah, but don't you lie. You'd miss all the rowdiness as well as our son." Smiled Tony as Steve leant down and kissed his cheek.

"That I would. Our kid as amazing. Wouldn't change him for the world."

The two ended up retiring to their hotel room not long after that. They slept pretty soundly until about 2 am when most of the other members of their team returned to the suit drunk and giggling. Although, this turned out to be a good thing because Tony was actually awake when he picked up his phone to see an alert from JARVIS.

"Um, Steve. JARVIS just picked up a 99% match for your pal Bucky being here in Vienna." Spoke Tony as he looked over at Steve from his perch on the end of the bed.

"What!"

"JARVIS. Give me some details. What's Barnes doing?" asked Tony as Steve scrambled around the room to put on clothes that weren't pyjamas.

"Looking at security cam data it appears that Barnes is returning to a small room to head to bed."

"We have to go after him." Rushed out Steve as he fell face-first on the floor after failing to properly put on his own shoe.

"I'll go with you. You're not going alone." Said Tony as he put on his own clothes. Steve just nodded and soon enough JARVIS was giving them information and the duo were off. Before they left they'd left a note on the nightstand so that the team knew where they were. Just to make sure that their friends didn't worry.

The two husbands took off down the road. Because it was so dark out they looked really suspicious but it was late and they were tired and neither of them thought to take a car. Either way, the two were rushing down the dark streets of night-time Vienna following the directions that JARVIS was giving them. Soon enough they'd arrived at the address and Steve went to go knock on Bucky's door while Tony kept watch.

"Bucky… It's me, Steve. Can you open up?" asked Steve as he knocked softly on the door. There was some shuffling sounds and the sound of a gun being readied before someone spoke from the other side.

"Prove it."

"You're name is James Bucannon Barnes. We grew up together in Brooklyn. You have a little sister names Rebecca and your favourite food growing up was my mom's butter cake." Spoke Steve as evenly as he could.

"More proof. What's something only my Steve would know?"

"Back in 1929 we were on the playground at school and you got in trouble for pulling me out of a fight. The teachers didn't believe that I'd started the fight so they blamed you. You didn't talk to me for a week after that."

And with that, the door was hesitantly opened and Bucky let himself be seen. Steve gave him a once over. Bucky looked exhausted like he hadn't had a full night's sleep in years. Well, he most likely hadn't Bucky also looked on edge. HYDRA was still out there. Sure, they were mostly gone at this point but there were still small factions that the Avengers were still hunting them, but they were still out there. Bucky was probably trying his best just to stay afloat and out of their clutches. Steve had to get his friend to safety. He just had to.

"Steve? What are you going here?" asked Bucky hesitantly. As he looked over his friend.

"The Avengers and I were here for a conference. What about you Buck? Why are you all the way here in Vienna?" asked Steve, concerned.

"Well, um… I was just passing through here for a couple of days. I needed to stock up on food."

"And where were you planning to head after?"

"Siberia." Spoke Bucky very matter of fact.

"What do you mean you're heading to Siberia? What's in Siberia."

Bucky paused for a moment. His hands were shaking and he looked angry.

"I wasn't the only Winter Soldier that HYDRA created."

Steve looked shocked and Bucky just looked sad. Sure, Steve knew that HYDRA had continued its experimentation of people, he'd met the Maximoff twins for fuck's sake. But the fact that there were more soldiers out there programmed with trigger words and poised to kill.

"Bucky… let me help you." Spoke Steve as he walked closer to Bucky.

"No. No, this is my mission."

"Bucky please."

"No. I can't let anyone else get hurt because of me."

"Bucky let us help. Please let us help. I have a whole team of powered individuals that are ready to help. People who are trained to deal with shit like this. You don't need to run off and do this all by yourself. We can fix this together and then you can come home and get the help you need. Please, Buck. You're my brother. You spent so much time helping me. Let me help you." Pleaded Steve. Bucky just looked at him for a second before nodding.

"Fine punk. I'll come with you."

And with that simple reply, Steve pulled Bucky into a hug and refused to let go. He'd waited so long to have his best friend back with him. He just felt so happy. Maybe now things could begin to get back to normal and they could all heal and be happy.

"Well, this is awkward. I feel like a third wheel." Spoke Tony as he walked a bit closer from where he was watching the whole exchange from around the corner. Bucky jumped a bit and Steve had to calm him. Steve just shot his husband a look and Tony snickered.

"Bucky, I'd like you to meet my husband Tony!"

Bucky looked between Steve and Tony still in confusion. Steve frowned and was about to ask Bucky what was wrong but he soon got his answer.

"Never thought you'd ever get yourself married there Steve. 'Specially not to a pretty little thing like him." Tony blushed a bit and Steve scowled.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Buck. Now Stop flirting with my husband! He's mine!" grumbled Steve as he walked over and gave Tony a little kiss.

"Meant nothing by it punk. Your still so easy to rile up."

"He is isn't he." Smiled Tony and Steve just sighed.

"Let's head back to the hotel so we can talk to the team."

They all nodded and soon after they'd gathered up Bucky's meagre belongings, they were off on their trek back to the hotel. When they arrived back most of the team were still asleep and those who were up were chugging coffee and eating greasy eggs to get rid of their handovers.

"Hey, Steve! You found your buddy!" smiled Sam as he looked over at the new additions to the room. A few people grumbled at the noise but didn't pay Bucky any mind.

By the time everyone was awake and feeling more human Steve had everyone gathered together so he could tell them what was going on. Tony and Steve gave all the information they could before they let Bucky take over. Bucky seemed very awkward and hesitant when talking about the other soldiers. He gave all the information he could as well as the location of the soldiers. The whole time he was fiddling with anything and everything to keep his mind from dwelling too much on the implications of how the soldiers came to be. But nobody else knew that information. Just Bucky, and he was feeling like shit for it.

After all the information was gathered Steve called up their UN representative to give the information as per their new arrangement. They got the approval right away to go in and illuminate the threats. Because of how dangerous HYDRA was and how dangerous Winter Soldiers could be they got the go-ahead to use deadly force if they deemed it necessary.

Steve also told them how they got the information. The UN wanted to bring Bucky in for questioning but Steve managed to convince them that he was safer with them and receiving therapy once they got home. Steve also promised to send over all the information they had on HYDRA's brainwashing to help prove Bucky's innocence as a prisoner of war.

After making sure that everyone had eaten Steve and Tony bundled all the Avengers back to the airport where the jet was waiting. Clint took over the pilot's seat and soon they were off towards Siberia. As they flew Steve got to making a plan of attack while everyone got ready. Everyone already had their suits and gear loaded on the jet before they left the Tower. They never flew anywhere without it just in case of an emergency.

The whole flight Bucky just sat off to the side and sharpened his knives while watching everyone else scurry around. He found it interesting how everyone seemed to work together seamlessly. It brought back some memories of working with the Commandos that Bucky thought were long forgotten.

Once they landed Steve had everyone split off into teams according to what needed to be done. Tony, Scott, and Bruce went off to find the old servers to download information. Natasha, Hope, and Clint went to go clear the upper rooms. Thor, Sam, and Rhodey left to clear the middle floors. And finally, Steve and Bucky went to where he remembered the old cryo tanks being. When they got down to the floor Steve made everyone check in on their coms before he and went in deeper. Bucky heard Tony tell Steve to stay safe and Steve smiled. Bucky was glad he'd found someone to make him smile.

As Steve explored the base he stumbled across what must have been an old surveillance room. The old screens were covered in dust yet the power was still active. Steve wiped the years of grime off of one of the screens and pushed a couple of buttons. The screen turned on and Steve jumped a bit in surprise when it made an old startup noise. What was when he saw an old VHS tape sitting on the table beside the screen. The tape was also covered in a thick layer of dust. Steve picked it up and turned it over a few times. On the front was a date.

December 16, 1991.

Steve stared at the date for a second. It sounded so familiar. He just couldn't figure out why. Steve curiosity won out and he pushed the tape into the little slot beside the screen. There was another loading noise and soon the screen was alive with movement.

Steve hated what he saw.

Steve was frozen in place as the tape played. He saw a brainwashed Bucky crash a car and kill the occupants. What made it worse was the fact that the occupants were Howard and Maria Stark. He heard Howard pleading for his life. He heard Maria's shouts. He saw the blood and pain in their eyes. He saw a dead eye's Bucky shoot out the camera. By the end of the whole thing, Steve was in shock over what he was but he could really only think of one thing.

"_I need to tell Tony!"_

"Um… Tony… I need you to come to my location." Stammered Steve over the comes.

"Is everything alright? Are you hurt?"

"I'm uh… I'm not hurt. I just need you to get here."

There was some commotion over the coms but none of it mattered. Tony was there a moment later looking all worried. He stepped out of his suit and walked over to Steve.

"Hey, Steve. What's going on?" asked Tony as he looked between Steve and Bucky.

"I uh… I was searching this area here and I uh… I found this tape." Stuttered Steve as he looked over at Tony.

"And…?"

"I'm so sorry Tony." There were tears in Steve's eyes and Tony looked even more confused while Bucky just looked all guilty there in the corner.

"Why are you sorry Honey?"

"You need to see it, Tony. This shouldn't be kept from you. I can't keep it from you."

"…Ok?"

From there Steve restarted the tape.

"I know that road. Steve?"

All Steve could do was hold Tony as the events unfolded and Tony's face paled. His hands started shaking and by the time the tape was finished Tony's legs could no longer support him. He collapsed on the ground and Steve caught him and held his husband in his arms.

"Mama?" was all Tony could get out before he devolved into tears. The crying very quickly became hysterical and Steve tried his best to soothe the poor man while fighting back his own tears. Bucky just stood there awkwardly. He felt horrible.

"I'm sorry. Whispered Bucky as he looked over the scene in front of him. "I know that means nothing but I'm so, so sorry."

Bucky's words fell on deaf ears. Tony was still hysterical and Steve was trying to comfort him. So, Bucky took the initiative and called the other members of the team. All of them came running and soon enough Rhodey and Bruce were also at Tony's side offering comfort and medical help.

Meanwhile, Thor had tracked down the cryo tanks for the other winter soldiers only to find out that the soldiers inside were already shot in the head and long dead. They gathered what evidence they could but everyone was left confused over what happened.

But that was the least of their worries. Tony was still crying and calling out for his Mama softly. It was breaking everyone's heart. So, with nothing left to do the Siberia, they all boarded the jet home. Steve carried Tony back to the jet and just held him in his arms the whole flight. He eventually stopped crying but didn't talk. Bucky had to explain what had happened because Steve refused to repeat any of it in front of Tony. Tony just sat there in shock the whole time. Bruce offered to give him some sedation but at that point, they were close enough to home so he didn't. Tony would rest better in his own bed.

Once they arrived back at the tower the team went their separate ways to go process the information they'd just learned. Nobody was really doing great. Bucky wasn't sure what he was supposed to do so he just ended up following Steve down to his floor. He tried to keep his distance from Tony the entire time.

"Tony, why don't you get some rest. It's been a rough week you deserve some rest." Soothed Steve as they arrived back on their floor. Bucky followed close behind awkwardly.

"Yeah… ok." Sighed Tony and Steve pulled him into a tight hug and kissed his hair before Tony shambled off to go get some much-needed rest.

"So… this is home. There's a guest room down the hall we can set up. There might be some toys in there but I can clean them up." Spoke Steve as he and Bucky walked further into the apartment.

But before Bucky could ask why on Earth there would be toys in the guest room there was the sound of a door opening followed by the sound of pitter-patter coming towards them. Bucky tensed up prepared to fight but Steve just smiled and Bucky looked on confused. Five seconds later Bucky was surprised when this tiny blond hair, brown-eyed child came bolting for Steve screaming "Dada! Dada! Dada!"

"Hey, Nico bean. How's my baby boy?" smiled Steve as he lifted the tiny child into his arms. Bucky still looked confused.

"Good Dada!"

"Were you good for Aunty Pepper and Uncle Happy while Mama and I were away baby boy?" asked Steve. The child nodded and hugged Steve. Steve looked over and saw how confused Bucky was and decided some introductions were in order.

"Bucky meet my son Nicola Joseph. Nico, this is your Uncle Bucky." Smiled Steve as he walked over with his son in his arms.

"You have a kid? Where's his mom? I thought you were married to Tony?" blubbered Bucky as he looked between Steve and the now sleepy child.

"Yup. Nico here is now just a few months shy of turning two. And as for his mom, well… Tony's his mom." Spoke Steve with pride as he rocked his kid back and forth.

"Steve, I know my memory is shot but I'm pretty sure men can't give birth to babies." Questioned Bucky as he continued to look between Steve and his son.

"Tony can. He's special. A while back Loki cast a spell on him that lets him have babies. That's how we got Nicola here who is also up past his bedtime." Smiled Steve. "Just wait there on the couch while I put him down."

Bucky did as instructed and Steve walked off with his sleepy toddler. The poor man was still confused about what was going on but he was still happy for Steve. The fact that his friend was happily married and had an admittedly cute kid made him smile. Steve had had it rough growing up and he deserved some happiness. Happiness that Bucky was sure he would never deserve after his actions as the Winter Soldier. He hoped someday that he would be able to atone.

Once Steve got back he was toddler free and quick to show Bucky to his room. He passed his friend some old pyjamas and soon enough the man was off to bed. Steve left Bucky alone in his room with instructions to have JARVIS call if he needed anything. Steve then went off to his and Tony's room and was met with the sight of his husband wide awake and curled up in a ball in the middle of the bed.

"Hey, there sweetheart. How you doing?" asked Steve as he gently sat down on the bed and ran his hand through Tony's hair.

"I don't know."

"You wanna talk about it?" asked Steve as Tony shifted himself into his arms.

"Not really but I know I should." Huffed Tony.

"Well, what's going on in that beautiful brain of yours?"

"I'd like to preface all of this by saying that I know your friend was brainwashed and tortured for years and he deserves the best treatment, but I can't help but feel sick when I think that his hands killed my mom. I don't care that he killed Howard. That man was a monster. But why my mom? Why her? She suffered just like me and she never got a happy ending. She promised me that one day we would be free together. That we'd getaway together. Why her Steve? Why my Mama?"

By the end of Tony's little speech, he was crying. Steve curled up around Tony and held him close as he cried.

"I don't know Tony. You and your mom deserved so much better then the hand you were dealt. You deserved to be free and happy. I'm glad I've got you now, but I wish I could have been there sooner to help. You and your mom should have been safe and I'm so sorry that that wasn't the case. I love you so much, Tony. Please never forget that."

Tony ended up falling asleep not long after. He really was exhausted after the week they'd had. First, his Aunt Peggy had died, then they had all those meetings. The video in Siberia was just the icing on the cake of a bad week. Steve did what he could to make sure that Tony felt safe and slept soundly.

The next morning Steve was up early for his morning run. He made it a quick one so that Tony could sleep a little longer. By the time Steve got back, Nicola was already waking up so Steve brought him to their private kitchen to make some food for him. What surprised Steve was that Bucky was already up and sitting forlornly on the sofa in the living room. Steve made him some food too and the two talked a bit about the past while Nicola ate and played with some blocks.

About an hour later Tony was wandering in blearily looking for coffee. Steve passed him a cup and the genius smiled as he chugged down his elixir of life.

"Alright Frosty, here's the scoop." Spoke Tony once he had enough coffee in his system to actually function like a living human. Meanwhile, Bucky just looked confused.

"Look I know you're feeling horrible and all that jazz so I'll cut to the chase. I have some technology that might just do the trick in removing those pesky trigger words from your head so you can function like a normal, not brainwashed person. I'm just finishing up the final phase of testing so in a week I can set you up and we'll go from there. Also, you're going to start seeing a therapist to work through all your stuff." Rambled Tony.

Bucky just looked a bit confused. Honestly, after the day before with Tony having a breakdown after seeing his parents killed by his hands, he was expecting to be thrown out on the street to fend for himself once more. Not actually given help and a roof over his head.

"But… But what about your parents?" asked Bucky, scared of the answer.

"I will admit that I'm mad about my mom. She deserved better. But with Howard, I'm not mad. That man was a monster and if you hadn't killed him then he would have killed me and my mom." Sighed Tony. "Look, let me level with you. Everyone in the tower, with the exception of the kids, is a little messed up. We all need therapy and trips to medical for all sorts of stuff. But if you're too stubborn to ask for help then how about a trade? You go to therapy and stuff and I get to have a look at that arm. I bet I can make a better one."

Bucky still looked confused. He really had no idea what was going on. The conversation was like verbal whiplash. Steve, however, knew exactly what was happening.

"I'd just go with it, Buck. Tony here is one of the best engineers here on Earth. Just let him look over the arm before he has an aneurism." Joked Steve and Bucky just nodded. The two shook on it and soon Tony was off getting Nicola dressed and ready for the day.

Steve just smiled at everything. Sure, Tony was still feeling like shit over his mom but with a heart as big as his, Steve knew that Tony would help Bucky. And in turn, Steve would be there for both of them when they needed it.

But for now, Steve was just happy. He had his best friend back. He had his husband. He had his son. It was the perfect life he'd always wanted. And it was amazing.

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So, I absolutely love Shuri. She's my favourite Marvel woman. She's smart and funny and we must protect her. I can't wait to have Tony and Shuri interact next chapter. They get along amazingly in the comics and the MCU didn't give us that so I'll do it myself. Also, yay! Bucky's home and the team didn't split. Everything is going great. Now, all we need is our small spider friend. He'll be here shortly. Just you wait. I'll see you soon. -Shadows


	27. Kids these days

Hello! Hello! Hello! Welcome to the next chapter. Get ready for some fun and lots of kids doing stupid stuff. Also just a housekeeping reminder. Tony can lie, just not about feelings and injuries. I don't want people blowing up my comments for inconsistency with that. I'll see you at the end. Enjoy!

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Once Bucky started going to therapy and using B.A.R.F. to remove the trigger words he slowly started to slip into regular life at the tower. Everyone was there to support Bucky when he needed it and it was fitting into their little mismatched family with easy. Well, everyone except Sam. For some stupid reason, those two seemed to bicker a whole lot. Actually the bickering was a whole heck of a lot like when the Avengers first formed and Tony and Steve were at odds with each other.

Everyone knew the two would work things out in their own time.

The funny thing about Bucky now living in the tower was the strange relationship Bucky seemed to have with Tony's cat, Acorn. More than once Tony would walk into the kitchen in the morning to feed her and see Bucky and Acorn having a staredown. In fact, multiple people saw this. Nobody knew what to make of the situation so they just sort of let it happen.

One of the biggest changes to the tower, besides Bucky joining their little family, was the fact that Nicola was about 2 months away from turning two. And, like most two-year-olds, Nicola was starting to test boundaries. Because Nicola was testing boundaries that also meant that he was testing his parent's patience.

"Nicola, no. We don't hit." Scolded Steve as he moved Nicola away from a now crying baby Nate.

"I want!" shouted the toddler as he pointed at the toy Nate had previously been playing with.

"Nico, we ask if we want a toy. We don't hit. We ask. Now say sorry to Nate."

"I sorry." Spoke Nicola as he gave Nate a hug.

Hitting seemed to be the least of their problems because, after a few rounds of time out and no desert, Nicola seemed to get the message. No, the biggest problem was the fact that Nicola was a walking tornado hell-bent on causing the biggest mess possible.

Case in point, the time Tony thought he'd put Nicola down for a nap but found his baby covering the kitchen with a mixture of mashed bananas and flour.

And that wasn't the only big mess. There were toys all over the place, bath time was often a nightmare, and the walls of Nicola's room had quickly become his canvas. No parenting book had ever prepared Tony and Steve for this.

Thankfully they lived in a tower with Clint and Laura who knew what to do. The advice they gave was invaluable in keeping some sort of order. They helped childproof the tower as well as gave advice on how to get Nicola to stop making messes. Soon it became a big joke that Nicola was 100% Tony's son by the messes he was making.

But, even with Clint and Laura's help, Tony and Steve still had a lot of work to do when it came to Nicola's behaviour. They understood that Nicola was still learning and testing out what he could and could not do, but ma where they getting tired. But still, whenever they say their little boy smile it mad everything all worthwhile.

In late June, Tony got an alert from JARVIS about a new hero doing work in Queens. Tony had been keeping track of the new heroes popping up ever since that vision he'd had back in Sokovia. He just knew that something bad was going to happen so he needed to know where other heroes were in case of the worst.

So, when JARVIS brought up the footage Tony took a look at it. On the screen, in multiple videos was a person swinging around on some sort of thread throughout the city. They were dressed in a red and blue hoodie set that offered no protection what so ever and that really worried Tony. Then there was the fact that in one of the videos the person stopped a speeding bus with his body. That was… intense.

"JARVIS run some scans I want everything you can find about this… Spider-Man character."

"Right away Sir. I'll have everything ready within an hour."

With JARVIS on the case, Tony got back to work on the new suit he was making. He'd been messing around with his existing nanotech to try and make a suit. Hopefully, when he went to Wakanda in a few weeks he'd be able to bounce some ideas around.

"Sir, I've finished gathering the information." Interrupted JARVIS just as Tony was finishing some calculations.

"Bring it up J."

Suddenly there was a plethora of information on the screens in front of him, the most important being a name and a face. Peter Benjamin Parker.

"J… are you sure this is all correct?" asked Tony. He wanted to be sure that they had the right guy under the mask.

"By my calculations as well as by going off of body proportions, locations, and a backpack found near a scene where Mr. Parker changed into his suit I am certain that this is the person you're looking for,

"Fuck! He's just a kid! What the hell is a kid doing out there with superpowers and a subpar suit? Where the hell are his parents?" worried Tony as he looked over everything.

"According to my research, Mr. Parker's parents died in a plane crash when he was 6 years old. He now resides with his Aunt."

"Fuck! We need to get this kid some training and a better suit. He's out there with no protection. Maybe I'll offer him an internship. Looking at his school record this kid's smart. If he's here for an internship then he can get better training and gear and still do school stuff. Yeah, that sounds like a plan." Rambled Tony as he started to sort through all the information in front of him

"What are you going off about internships for?" asked Steve startling Tony.

"Where did you come from?"

"I was just coming down to tell you that dinner is ready. Bruce mad curry and I'm not too sure how long it'll last around Thor." Smiled Steve as he walked over a gave his husband a quick kiss. "So what's all this?"

"Something we'll all need to talk about after dinner. I've got information about a new hero and he needs some guidance." Explained Tony as he shut things down in the lab and followed Steve up to the kitchen.

"Is it just me or does Brucie-bear have a crush on Thor?" asked Tony as they got into the elevator as a chance to change the conversation.

"You see it too! Although I don't think anything is going to happen with that for a little bit. Thor's still torn up about Jane breaking up with him last week."

"Poor guy. At least they agreed to stay friends."

The two continued to talk until they for to the common floor where everyone was eating at the giant family-sized table they had set up there. Bruce just finished up plating everything so they hadn't missed out on his amazing cooking. Everyone joked and smiled and talked about their day as they ate. Tony and Steve took turns helping Nicola eat but the kid still made a huge mess of his rice and breaded chicken. Curry was just too spicy for the toddler.

After dinner, it was definitely bath time. Nicola sure was a messy kid. Steve took over that job because Tony still had problems with standing water. Nobody really blamed him. After that was story time and soon enough Nicola was off to dreamland and the two parents were able to join the adults and older kids as they didn't have bedtime yet.

Tony ended up helping Cooper with his math homework while Natasha played some sort of game with Lila. Everyone else was milling around and just enjoying the downtime they had. Even Bucky was pretty calm. He'd set himself up in the corner with a stack of books he wanted to get through. This way he was getting used to being around new people but also going at his own pace.

As well, Tony couldn't help but notice that Bruce was sitting a little bit closer to Thor as the two talked about the science of the Bifrost. Tony sent his friend a smirk and Bruce tried not to blush too bad.

Once all the kids were in bed sleeping Tony gathered up all the Avengers and told them what he'd found out. Most of them were shocked that this literal kid was swinging around Queens stopping crime. But, they had to admire the kid's gumption. The kid got powers and was trying to do some good with them.

But still, they needed a game plan. This kid needed their guidance and the Avengers were determined to help. So, they all worked together to make a plan. And, it seemed like a good plan. Now all they needed to do was talk to the kid and see if he was on board.

The next day was actually the last day of the school year so Tony thought it was the perfect opportunity to talk to the kid's aunt about a "summer internship." So, in the mid-afternoon, Tony made his way over to Queens to have a little chat.

The whole drive over to the apartment complex Tony kept rehearsing what he wanted to say. He wanted to make a good first impression. He really only had one shot at this and he wanted to get everything right. So, as Tony arrived and parked his Audi in front of the Parker's apartment block and walked inside without drawing too much attention to himself. He quickly made his way up to the door and knocked. Hopefully, this would turn out alright.

"Oh, um… Mr. Stark-Rogers. How can I help you?" asked a very confused May Parker when she opened the door to her apartment.

"Mrs. Parker. I'm here to talk about your nephew, Peter. May I come in?" Smiled Tony he was trying really hard to keep things casual.

"Oh, um… sure. Of course. I'm sorry." Fumbled May as he opened the door further and let Tony in.

"Just call me Tony by the way." Spoke Tony as May lead Tony inside and they sat down on the sofa.

"So, why do you want to talk about Peter? Has he done something wrong?" worried May.

"Oh, no! He hasn't done anything wrong. I wanted to talk to you about Peter's upcoming internship." Spoke Tony and May looked shocked.

"What internship?"

"He didn't tell you?" asked Tony and May shook her head. "Well, about a month ago he sent in an application for SI's Junior Intern Program. His application caught my eye and I've sent him a few emails about taking a position with us. I'm here to hash out all the details and to get your permission."

"No, Peter hasn't told me. I'm surprised. Peter tells me everything. And I'm surprised that you're here, no offence. I'd just think that something like this would be done by someone else. I'd assume that you'd be pretty busy what with being an Avenger, working for SI, and having a small child. Not a man to have the time to make house calls."

"Well, today's Daddy Son day so Steve his having fun at the park with Nicola. As for Avenger's work we've had some downtime lately. And this, this is SI business. I'd love to bring Peter on as my personal intern. He's smart. Very smart. With the right tools that kid is going to change the world. I'd like to give him those tools."

"And what exactly would this internship entail?" asked May. She wanted all the information before she made any decision.

"Well, he'd come by the tower 3-4 times a week during the summer. We'd work in his coding skills, as well as mechanics, mathematics, and sciences in a practical environment and not in a classroom setting. This way he can see how things are applied and not just what things look like on paper." Smiled Tony. And he wasn't lying about any of this. He really did want to teach Peter. Even Bruce was a bit excited to have a little student in the lab. The only parts he left out were the training things with the other Avengers.

"That… actually sounds good. Great even. Peter's a bright kid and I know the regular classroom setting is boring for him." Tony smiled sympathetically.

"I know exactly how he feels. Sometimes it's better to see how things work than to hear some old person drone on and on."

From there the two talked some more and hashed out the details. May seemed to be on board and that made things easier on Tony. He hated lying about the real reason he was there, but he really did want to help Peter. He was just a kid and a smart one at that. He didn't want Peter to end up like him. Poorly socialized because of his intelligence and struggling in conventional school because he did not have a conventional mind.

About half an hour after Tony arrived the front door opened and a kid wearing a hoodie and earbuds walked in.

"Hey May." Smiled Peter as he wandered through the apartment. He still hadn't seen Tony.

"Hey, Peter. How was your last day of school?"

"I was good. We didn't do much. Just went over when report cards would be in and wrote our final English essay. Hey, did you see it? There's this crazy car parked outside."

And that was the moment Peter caught Tony's eyes. The kid looked caught between confused and star-struck. Tony wanted to laugh at his expression but kept that under control.

"Um… What?"

"Hey, Mr. Parker."

"Um… What are you? How?" Stammered Peter as he tried to not lose his cool in the presence of his hero.

"It's Tony kid." Smirked Tony.

"What are you… What are you doing here?"

"It's about time we met. You've been getting my emails, right?" asked Tony as he subtly winked at Peter so the kid would know to play along."

"Yeah, yeah. Absolutely."

"Peter, why didn't you tell me you applied for an internship? Are you keeping secrets?" asked May worriedly.

"Well… um… I didn't think I would actually get it." Lied Peter and Tony sent him another wink.

"Well, you were the best applicant I received so of course I'm going to choose the best."

"Tony here has been giving me all the information on the internship, Peter. It sounds like you'll be learning a lot. I'm just surprised you didn't tell me is all." Smiled May and Peter looked down a bit. He was so confused but decided to just go along with it. Who knew what was going to happen.

"Do you mind if I talk to Peter alone Mrs. Parker? I just want to work over some details on our end before we move forward." Asked Tony as politely as possible.

"Of course. I'll leave you two to it. Just let me know if you need anything." Smiled May

Soon enough, Peter was leading Tony down the hall to his room. The room itself was small and full of things that just screamed "teenager". Finally being in the same room alone with the kid, Tony was struck with the realization that this was the same kid his alternate self had been so glad to see in that horrible vision of his almost a year ago. He tried not to dwell on that fact. The vision was just a vision. Although it felt like so much more.

"Oh, what's this? Retro tech! I haven't seen one of these since MIT!" smiled Tony as he looked around the room and tried to get his mind off his recent revelation. "Where did you get it?"

"The dumpster." Frowned Peter.

"Don't worry, I'll get you set up with some much better tech."

"Um… not to be rude Mr. Stark-Rogers but what are you doing here? I didn't apply for any internship." Asked Peter as he walked around his room.

"I know that, but I'm here to offer you one anyway. That and something else." Spoke Tony and Peter instantly looked worried. Tony pulled out his phone and began showing some of the footage JARVIS had pulled.

"That's you right?" asked Tony even though he knew the answer. "Wow, amazing. What was that, like 4000 pounds? Impressive."

"You know that's all fake right? It's all done on computers." Sputtered Peter as he tried to lie his way out of the situation.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You mean like those UFOs over Phoenix?" smirked Tony as he picked up a broom handle from the corner and lifted up the trap door in the ceiling. Peter's suit came tumbling out and the kid ran forward to hide it. Tony walked over to Peter. Now he just had to broach the topic of what he was offering, but with just a little bit of sass because it was fun.

"So you're the Spiderling? Spider-Boy? Crime-fighting spider?" teased Tony.

"Spider… Spider-Man."

"Not in that onesie you're not."

"It's not a onesie." Pouted Peter indignantly.

"So, who else knows?"

"Nobody. Just you I guess." Mumbled Peter as he tried not to make eye contact.

"Well, me and the other Avengers."

"What!"

"They needed to know. They're part of the reason why I'm here." Spoke Tony. "You know what I think is really cool? This webbing. The tensile strength his amazing. Who made it?"

"I did." Spoke Peter proudly.

"And the climbing the walls thing? Adhesive gloves?"

"No… that's me too. Look, Mr. Stark-Rogers, it's this really long story." Started Peter but he was quickly thrown off by Tony fiddling with his suit.

"What even are these? Can you even see?" asked Tony as he put the very dark goggles over his eyes. "Ah! I'm blind!"

"Yes, I can see in those." Huffed Peter as he took his suit back. "It's just that ever since I got these powers my senses have been dialled to 11. Things just got to be too much."

"Sensory overload. Don't worry that's pretty common among the Avengers. We'll get you sorted with better stuff then painted over goggles."

"Look, you keep mentioning the Avengers and this internship I never applied for. What is going on?" asked Peter as he sat down on his bed. Tony sat down beside him and placed a hand on the kid's shoulder.

"Look Peter. I do want you for an actual internship. You're smart. You made that webbing all by yourself. The other Avengers and I want to help you. You've got the basics not it's time to take things to the next level, starting with a new suit. That things offers you no protection."

"Wait! You really want to offer me an internship?"

"Sure. You're Aunt already said yes. It would start two weeks from now after Steve and I get back from Wakanda."

"And what would this all entail?"

"Well, you'd split your time between doing science with Bruce and me, and training with the Avengers to work on your combat skill. The more skills you have the safer you are. You're still a kid Peter, none of us want to see you get hurt." Explained Tony.

"So this is all real." Spoke Peter in amazement. His eyes were shining like he couldn't believe this was happening.

"Yes this is real. Now like I said, Steve and I are going to Wakanda in a few days' time. I'll give you a call once we get back so you can swing by the tower and we can get started." Smiled Tony as he got up and Peter followed.

"Can I tell my friend about this? He'll freak out!"

"Sure, you can tell them. I'll make sure to tell your school too. This will look great on your college applications in a few years."

Peter couldn't stop smiling as Tony and May finished exchanging information and finalizing details. This was amazing and he couldn't wait to tell Ned. He was going to flip. And Tony, well, Tony left the Parker's apartment with a smile on his face. Everything was going great and now Peter would get better training and resources.

Tony returned to the tower that night to tell the team the news. Everyone looked pleased that the kid would be getting better training and better protection from now on.

Three days later Tony, Steve, and little Nicola found themselves on a Quin Jet bound for Wakanda. They'd made sure to bring plenty of things to keep Nicola entertained for the 6-hour flight. The only reason the flight was that short and not the typical 14 hours was because they were using the Quin Jet with Tony's repulsor tech. Tony didn't know what he would do id stuck on a jet with an overactive toddler for 14 hours. He'd probably go insane.

Arriving in Wakanda was an experience all on its own. Shuri had given Tony some very specific programming and instructions to get through Wakanda's shield. Tony trusted her so he was excited when he went thought the shield while Steve just tried not to freak out. But, once they were in Wakanda, everything was amazing. Everything looked so different and both of them were excited to learn everything they could. Nicola didn't really care. He just liked all the colours.

As they landed at the palace Tony carried Nicola down the ramp while Steve brought their bags. They were soon greeted by the royal family which included a very excited Shuri.

"Welcome to Wakanda." Smiled T'Chaka as he walked over and shook Tony and Steve's hands. "I hope you enjoy your stay."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Smiled Tony as he adjusted Nicola in his arms.

"Allow me to make some introductions. This here is my lovely wife Ramonda. You've both met mt son T'Challa. And this excitable young one over here is my daughter Shuri." Spoke T'Chaka with a smile. Very quickly Shuri was walking over and excitedly shaking Tony's free hand.

"Mr. Stark-Rogers, I'm so excited to meet you. I've read all your papers and seen all your work. I can't wait to work with you."

Tony smiled and tried not to blush. It wasn't often that people complimented his work without wanting something from him.

"I'm sure there are things you can teach me here Princess. I look forward to working with you."

Soon enough they were lead to their rooms where they would be staying for the week. While Tony and Steve unpacked, Queen Ramonda took it upon herself to watch over Nicola. It had been so long since she'd had a little one in the palace.

Soon after they all had lunch together and discussed what the week in Wakanda would look like. It was going to be jam-packed with science, cultural enrichment, and working on the best way to introduce Wakandan technology to the world. A busy week, but fun.

The second lunch was over Shuri was dragging Tony down to her lab so she could show it off. Tony was amazed as Shuri showed him around. The place rivalled his own lab. The only thing Shuri didn't have were AI's like his own. He promised to teach her how to code in personality learning programs. Hopefully, her first attempts would be less prone to putting motor oil in things like DUM-E, U, and Butterfingers. Tony still loved them though. They were just as much his kids as Nicola was.

There was also a lot of talk of memes in the lab, but Tony was a master of the internet so he knew what was going on. It was fun t help Shuri confuse T'Challa with all their pop culture talk.

The week Tony, Steve, and Nicola spent in Wakanda was amazing. Tony had a blast working with Shuri in her lab. She was invaluable in helping him perfect his nanotech for use in a suit. They worked on AI tech together and exchanged ideas on pretty much everything. Tony just knew he had to introduce this spunky teen to Peter. The two would get on like a house on fire.

And while Tony was having fun in the lab, T'Challa was showing Steve and Nicola around Wakanda and teaching them about their culture. There were some meetings where they all talked about the best way to integrate Wakanda and eventually they all came to the best agreement that would allow Wakanda to hold onto their customs and beliefs while providing aid to people who needed it. Even Nicola had a great time. The kid had fun chasing butterflies and looking at all the new things. There were some nights when that kid had one hell of a sugar high from trying all the unique sweets Wakanda had to offer.

By the end of the week, new friendships had been forged and alliances made. Things were going great and it was a very welcome change of pace to all the shit that had recently gone down. The break was nice, but all too soon it was time to return to the states and for young Peter to start his internship with the Avengers. Nothing could go wrong with that.

Right?

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So… Cute chapter? I thought so. Now we have our spider baby and I'm absolutely having him and Shuri wreak havoc once I have them meet. Bucky's doing good. That's always a good thing. The kids are alright. All's good. Next up its HOCO time with a twist. I'll be seeing you soon! -Shadows


	28. Lullaby's for baby spiders

Welcome to Homecoming from Tony's point of view. So, it's pretty much just him being a very stressed parent as his spider-son gets himself in trouble. Enjoy! I'll see you at the end.

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A day after the Stark-Rogers family returned from their trip to Wakanda, Peter started his internship. To say the kid was excited was an understatement. Peter was practically bouncing off of the walls as Tony introduced him to the other Avengers. Poor kid looked like he was about to faint.

From there Tony and Peter started having lab time where they worked on making Peter a much safer suit. The kid was enthusiastic and asked all sorts of amazing questions. Peter was going to do amazing things in the future. Tony just knew it.

After they finished the suit Tony installed something called the "Training Wheels Protocol" that drove Peter insane just to think about it. But the protocol was there for a good reason. Tony and Bruce had put all sorts of extra features into the suit and it would take Peter time to learn everything. But either way, Peter was just happy to have a better suit because he could finally go out on patrol. Sure, he had a schedule for it and he hated that, but he was receiving amazing training from all of the Avengers so it was an alright trade-off.

Having Peter visiting the tower was a bit of a blessing for the adults. Turns out that Peter was a pretty good baby sitter. Peter was more than happy to look after the kids for a few hours so the adults could go out and have some fun without having to worry.

Another major highlight was when Tony gave Shuri Peter's number. As predicted the two got along swimmingly and were planning to meet in person as soon as possible. That would totally go well. No disasters at all.

So yeah, Peter's summer had been great. He'd learned so much and felt better when he went out on patrol. But, all good things come to an end and soon enough it was time for school to start again. Because school was important Peter was only allowed to come to the tower a few times a week and he could only join in with the science shenanigans if his homework was done. The same went for patrol.

So, school started, Peter went back as well as Clint's older kids, and honestly, the tower felt quieter. It was… odd. Everyone had gotten so used to having so many kids running around that it felt weird to only have Nicola and Nathaniel during the day. So, for the adults that didn't hold full-time jobs that weren't Avengers related, they had to get creative.

Let's just say that Clint and Sam aren't allowed to do anything with oranges and dish soap ever again.

About a week after school started Peter came over to the tower to do some work on his suit. He was just sitting there tinkering and Tony knew something was off because the normally chatty teenager was silent.

"What's on your mind Pete?" asked Tony as he looked over at where Peter was sitting.

"Nothing's wrong Sir." Mumbled Peter as he tried to focus on his work.

"We've talked about this Peter. Enough with all the "Sir" business. I'm too young for that."

"Aren't you like 46 years old?"

"With the spell Loki put on me I'm 22 ish so I'm way too young for all the formalities. But you're deflecting. So, what's wrong." Pressed Tony and Peter sighed.

"It's just these kids at school. We had to talk about our summer in English class and nobody believes me about the internship. Only my friend Ned, this girl Michelle, and a few members of the decathlon team believe me. And to make matters worse Flash keeps calling me a liar and just generally being a dick." Huffed Peter. He hadn't planned on spilling all those details but he knew he could trust Tony with what was going on.

"First of all, those kids are jerks and I'm going to fix this. Secondly, who the hell names their kid Flash?" huffed Tony

"Well, his name is actually Eugene. And what do you mean you're going to fix this?" panicked Peter once he realized what Tony had said.

"I'm going to show up at your school and set things straight. This way you'll also get school credit for your internship." Explained Tony.

And Peter knew it was useless to try to fight Tony Stark-Rogers once he set his mind on something. So that was when Peter found himself sitting embarrassedly in decathlon practice while Tony talked to Mr. Harrison about his internship. All the other kids were caught between staring at Peter and staring at Tony. He hated everything, but maybe now Flash would ease up a bit.

But still, it was like your mom coming in to talk to the teacher in front of your class. So not cool.

Two weeks later, just after the team had finished dinner, Tony got a very concerning phone call while he and Steve were washing Nicola up after he'd made a mess at dinner. Steve took over the washing so that Tony could take the call.

Well, the call nearly gave Tony a heart attack.

While Peter was on patrol that night, he'd stopped a bank robbery, but the robbers had been using weapons that were using alien tech. Tony freaked out and told Peter to head home where it was safe and he'd tell the other Avengers so they could stop this all. He also told Peter to keep away from all of this. This wasn't something he was trained to handle yet. Peter agreed and soon all the Avengers had orders to look out for alien tech used by common criminals.

And that should have been the end of Peter giving Tony heart attacks. Things were normal for a little while longer. Peter come by the tower often, he worked hard and made amazing progress in all of his abilities whether super or not, and he would occasionally babysit Nicola who just loved having Peter around.

But with Peter being Peter and almost like a less drunk clone of Tony at that age, the kid couldn't leave the matter alone.

Peter had gotten lucky and had gotten an invite to a party being put on by his crush one Friday night. He was so excited and Tony gave him some tips on how to have fun but still be safe. He wasn't about to have this amazing kid fall down the same hole Tony did. The night of the party Peter sent a text letting Tony know that he was alright and there was no alcohol there and that should have been the end of it.

It was not.

Tony had just finished up reading Nicola his nightly bedtime story of Goodnight Moon and had sent his son off to dreamland when he'd gotten an alert that Peter was in danger. He immediately called the other Avengers, gathered all the information they could, and were off to rescue their Spider-baby.

By some miracle, Tony and the others had arrived at Peter's location just in time to see the kid plummeting towards the water while caught in his parachute. The other Avengers started chasing the mysterious villain while Tony raced to go catch the poor kid before he drowned. Peter hit the water with a loud smack and Tony very quickly fished the kid out of the water before he could drown. Tony had to stamp down his own panic attack about being in the water to do it and he just knew it would happen later once he got home.

"You alright kid?" asked Tony once he got himself and Peter back on dry land.

"I'm alright Mr. Stark-Rogers. How did you find me? Did you put a tracker in my suit?" asked Peter as he wrung the water out of his mask.

"I put everything in your suit, including this heater." Smirked Tony as Peter slowly began to warm up.

"Pete, what were you thinking? Weren't you supposed to be at a party?"

"I was at the party, but then they kept asking about Spider-Man so I left to put on the suit but then I saw the guys from the bank so I decided to go after them and then this guy who looked like a vulture swooped in and picked me up and dropped me from really high and then you saved me so that's why I'm not at the party." Rambled Peter in a way that would have been almost incoherent if Tony didn't know the kid.

"Peter, you need to be more careful. If somebody is using alien tech then you need to be more aware out there. I've had that kind of stuff used against me before in battles like New York. It's no joke and you could get really hurt. Let myself and the other Avengers take care of this stuff while you're still learning. Stay low to the ground and help the little guys for now. Like that lady who bought you a churro. Be a "friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man" until you have more training. Now, why don't you head back to the party and have a little bit of fun before the night is over."

Peter nodded and once he was warm enough he was swinging off back to the party leaving Tony to have the reality of the situation and the thing with the water finally hit him. Tony had JARVIS alert Steve to what was happening as he clambered out of his suit and curled in on himself as he tried his best not to have a panic attack.

Steve was quick to arrive at his location and he found Tony curled up under the monkey bars of a playground. He quickly rushed over and began the process of helping Tony calm down. It took a while especially once JARVIS explained everything with the water and by the time Tony was calm enough to talk he was exhausted. They made their way back to the tower with a plan to go over everything in the morning.

The Avengers hadn't managed to catch up to the guys using the alien tech. They had some sort of cloaking tech so Tony had JARVIS running new algorithms to try and break it. Thor was really useful in helping decode the alien stuff. Tony worked tirelessly on doing all the tracking. Thor, Bruce, and Rhodey had helped a whole lot as well but Tony was taking this personally. He'd grown attached to Peter and he wanted to make sure he was safe.

But of course, Peter just had to go and do something reckless again.

Peter had left for DC to go to his decathlon nationals and everyone at the tower had wished the kid luck. They were all so proud of him and they hoped that he'd do well. Tony hadn't been worried at all about anything happening. Peter knew to stay away from this Vulture guy so Tony had no reason to think that Peter would get himself into trouble while he was away.

Well… let's just say that baby spiders never listen.

Tony found out that Peter had saved his classmates from certain death at the Washington Monument on the news that afternoon. Tony had been sitting on the couch in the living room working on his tablet with Acorn sprawled across his lap, Steve doing some art at his side, and Nicola having a blast with his blocks on the floor when the news came on. Tony had to take a moment to calm down after seeing that. Logically he knew that Peter was alright but that didn't stop his heart from thundering in his chest.

But oh no, Peter didn't stop there. A few days after the whole incident in DC Peter got himself into even more trouble. Tony knew something was wrong when he went to give Peter a call during his lunch break and the kids blew him off. Tony had this whole spiel about how proud he was of Peter for saving his classmates and being there for them. He was going to tell Peter that he would always support him, unlike his own father who was a right bastard. But then Peter had to go and interrupt him and cancel the call.

The sounds in the background where what tipped Tony off. He had JARVIS track Peter's suit and he very quickly found out that the kid was in it and skipping school. To say that Tony was furious was an understatement. He and Peter had an agreement on when he could use the suit and not while he was still training and in school. Now Peter was out there breaking Tony's trust and having a ferry sawn in half.

Did I mention that he'd as good as sawn a ferry in half!

Luckily Tony was able to fix the damage without anyone getting hurt. But Peter was another story altogether. Tony had sent the kid back to shore where they could talk after all this was over.

"Next on Peter screws the pooch. I told you to stay away from al of this. We had a deal Peter, about when you can use the suit. We had a deal that you'd put school first. We had a deal that you'd stay away from all of this for the time being. And what do you do? You hacked a million-dollar suit to go behind my back and do the one thing I told you NOT TO DO!" yelled Tony in disappointment as Peter looked down sheepishly.

"Is everyone ok?"

"No thanks to you."

"NO thanks to me?!" yelled Peter as he looked up at Tony. "There are weapons out there that need to be stopped. I just can't stand by and let things like this happen. I just wanted you to listen to me."

"I did listen Peter." Sighed Tony as he stepped out of the suit. "I did listen. I have JARVIS running intel. I have some of the team doing underground work. We've started getting names and locations. We're close Peter. This isn't your fight."

"I just wanted to be like you." Whispered Peter as he looked down sullenly. He really knew that he'd fucked up.

"And I wanted you to be better."

The two stood there for a moment just taking in the situation. Peter was trying to keep from showing his upset while Tony was trying to rein in his anger and worry. He was mad that Peter had broken his trust but he was also scared because Peter could have been seriously injured just now. Peter was still a kid. Yes, he had powers and a healing factor, but he was still a kid and kids should be safe and in school, not hacking suits and blowing shit up. OS, with that in mind, Tony did what any reasonable parent would do when their kid messes up big time.

"You're grounded."

"WHAT!"

"You're grounded. No suit for a month. You need to learn that your actions have consequences. So, when you come over to the tower tomorrow You'll give me the suit so you can't go out until this is over."

"But I'm nothing without the suit."

"If you're nothing without the suit then you shouldn't have it."

Tony sighed and looked back at Peter. The poor kid looked horrible but he had to learn that he couldn't get away with this kind of stuff.

"Look, Peter. It's just a month. You're still coming by the tower for internship days if your aunt allows it. I have a feeling that she'll ground you for skipping school. Have her call me to let me know her decision. Now go home kid. You need a break. And don't even think about going anywhere else. I'll know if you do."

All Peter could do was nod and swing off. Tony watched him go before he got back into his suit and heading back to the tower to tell the others what was going on. The second Tony got home he immediately went to search out Steve. His husband was in their room watching something on his tablet and just generally being lazy while Nicola was down for his afternoon nap. Steve saw how exhausted Tony was looking and just scooped his husband into his arms as Tony cried and talked about what had just happened.

Peter did end up getting grounded for a week once May found out he'd skipped school. Peter had dropped off the suit at the tower one afternoon before he went home for the night. But, after that grounding was over the kid was back at the tower to continue his internship duties. And, as punishment for his actions with the ferry and the weapons, Tony had Peter write a 1000 word essay on why you listen to adults when they tell you something is dangerous and why you should get help when you need it.

The only good thing happening as of late what that Peter had finally gotten the guts to ask his crush Liz out to homecoming. He was so excited. The night before the dance May called tony over to teach Peter all the guy stuff that she couldn't. sure, she was able to teach Peter how to dance and be a proper gentleman, but things like shaving and tying a tie was something she wasn't too sure about and Tony was happy to help out.

The night of the dance Tony shot off a text wishing Peter a safe and fun night and that should have been the end of it. Tony certainly wasn't expecting Peter to give him a call around 8 that night that was for sure.

"Peter, I wasn't expecting you to call. How's your dance? Is everything alright?" asked Tony as he picked out the phone.

"Mr. Stark-Rogers. I need help. My date's dad is the Vulture. He knows who I am. I don't know how but he does. He has weapons and he was threatening me and I may have started going after him but I need some help." Rushed out Peter and Tony began to panic.

"Alright Pete, try to stay out of his way. I've got your location I'll be there with the other Avengers in a moment. Don't do anything rash!"

In seconds Tony had a lock on Peter's location and soon enough he'd gathered all the Avengers that he could so they could suit up to go help. Tony was the first to fly off in his armour. He knew that Peter didn't have his suit because it was sitting down in the lab. So, by this logic, Peter had to either just be in his regular clothes that he'd worn to the dance or he was in that horrible onesie of his.

As Tony arrived at Peter's location his heart sunk as he surveyed the area. Where once an old warehouse stood, was now a pile of broken concrete and rebar. Tony quickly began shifting through the rubble as the other Avengers arrived to help.

"PETER! WHERE ARE YOU!?" shouted Tony as he searched for the kid.

"I'm here!" came a small reply not far from where Tony was. "I'm stuck. I need help."

Tony was over at Peter's location in seconds as he used the suit to free the teen from his concrete prison. Peter coughed and sputtered as Tony pulled him free. Seconds later Tony was out of the suit and sitting on the ground with a crying Peter in his arms.

"Shh. It's alright. You're alright. You're ok Pete. You're gonna be ok." Soothed Tony as the teen clung to him. He checked Peter over for injuries and found a myriad of cuts, bruises, and what looked like a badly sprained wrist.

"I'm gonna get you back to the tower Pete. We'll get you all fixed up, alright." Peter just nodded and curled in tighter.

"What about the Vulture? I managed to web him up before the building fell." Whispered Peter as he looked around a bit. Tony looked over his shoulder and saw Thor and Sam bringing the man into custody.

"Sam and Thor have got him. He can't hurt you anymore Pete. Now let's get you back to the tower alright Bambino."

Peter just nodded again and allowed Tony to bundle him onto the jet. Once everyone was sorted and Toomes was with some SHIELD agents Clint powered up the jet and they were flying back home. The whole flight Peter was glued to Tony's side. The poor kid was in shock and Tony was doing his best to make sure he was comfortable. Steve brought over some blankets and Tony thanked him with a smile.

Once they arrived back, Steve helped Tony carry Peter down to medical so he could get checked over. The cuts were easy to treat but it turned out that the bad sprain was actually a break. Dr. Cho was quick to set it and hook Peter up to some pain killers.

"I'm going to go give your aunt a call. Will you be alight for a moment Pete?" asked Tony once he was sure that Peter was comfortable.

"Please don't call Aunt May! She'll be so mad. Please don't!"

"Peter, you're hurt and she's your guardian. She needs to know. I know you didn't want her to know about Spider-man until you were ready but this can't go one. You got hurt tonight kid. She's your family. You don't have to hurt alone."

All Peter could really do was nod. He was exhausted and doped up in pain killers and everything just sucked. He didn't want May to know he was Spider-Man but he was still just a kid and all he wanted was a hug from his aunt to make him feel better.

So, Tony went out into the hall to call May. He told May that Peter had been hurt and he was there with him at the tower. He didn't tell May what had happened, that was for Peter to do. Despite the traffic in New York being awful, May got there pretty quickly. The second she got to the tower she was walking into medical to check in on her nephew. Said nephew was sitting up in bed and watching stupid YouTube videos with Tony on a tablet. The second they saw each other May had pulled Peter into a hug and Tony stood off to the side to await the inevitable yelling.

Peter and May just held each other for a moment as Tony told her all the medical stuff. None of it was too bad but May was still worried about what had happened. So, Peter, despite what he really wanted to do, began to talk.

He told May everything. He told May about the field trip to Oscorp and the spider bite, how he took Uncle Ben's death personally because he felt that he could have stopped it. He talked about his first suit and making his web fluid. He talked about everything, and very slowly, as Peter continued to talk, May turned her gaze to Tony, and she looked angry. Peter very quickly noticed this and jumped in.

"May… I was doing this for a long time before Mr. Stark-Rogers found out. I wasn't going to just stop and standby while I had these powers. It's like what Ben used to say. "With great power comes great responsibility." I knew I needed to help people. Mr. Stark-Rogers knew this too so he gave me the tools to stay safe. It's my fault this all happened. I didn't listen when I should have and now I'm hurt. So, for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"Talk. Now." Was all May said in response as she turned on Tony who was trying very hard not to look as scared as he felt. He never had done well with any kind of negative confrontation.

And Tony, to his credit, began to explain his own involvement to May. He only stuttered a little bit as he spoke and his hands weren't shaking that bed. He told May all of the protective measures that were in the suit. He told May about all the combat training Peter was getting and also all the science they'd do in the lab together. He told May how after Peter had fucked up with the ferry he'd been grounded from using the suit until he could prove that he could be trusted with it again. How he was trying to be responsible.

"I think Peter and I need to have a little chat about all of this." Spoke May, her voice level. Tony nodded and left the room.

As Tony waited for Peter and May to finish their talk, Steve came over and offered his shaken husband some comfort. Tony wasn't feeling alright at all. Between Peter getting hurt and all the yelling, he was just feeling like shit. He was so close to a breakdown but didn't for Peter's sake.

After a little bit, May appeared in the hallway and sat down across Tony and May to talk.

"So, Peter's explained everything to me. I will admit that I'm not happy about him keeping secrets, especially something like this. But, he's still my Peter and I will support him no matter what. Now, I don't know really anything about this superhero business and Peter seems to trust you guys so I'm expecting you to continue helping him with this. I don't want to see him getting hurt anymore of he can avoid it." Spoke May. Tony and Steve just nodded along.

"Mrs. Parker, I promise that we'll continue to be there for Peter. He'll receive the best training possible and hopefully moving forward he'll learn that he's not alone and can ask for help when he needs it so we don't have any more incidents like this." Spoke Steve and May nodded.

They talked for a little while longer before May went back to be with Peter for the night and Steve took Tony back to bed.

From there May, Tony, and Steve made up a new list of rules for Peter to follow while he was still underage. It was pretty much the same rules Tony had given Peter since the beginning but now in formal writing. The kid was also still grounded for a little while.

What surprised Tony and Steve the most about the whole situation was when May showed up at Tony's a week later with papers for joint custody of Peter. May had never had any guardian appointed if something were to happen to her and tony and Steve already treated Peter like one of their own. Plus this also put Peter's Spider-Manning responsibilities in their hands so that he was held accountable for his actions.

Tony had never signed another form faster.

So there, despite all the ups and downs, Peter became part of the Stark-Rogers family along with May. Actually, May and Peter ended up moving into the tower so that Peter could be closer to everyone. It actually worked out great for everyone. May was actually closer to her work so her commute was shorter and she'd found great friendship with Laura Barton. Peter may not be as close to his school as he was but that wasn't a big deal. He liked having his own space in the tower.

Plus this all had the added bonus of Nicola being really excited to have a bog brother of his own. Peter and Nicola got along like two peas in a pod. Seeing his family grow, a family Tony never thought he'd get to have. It made him smile. He knew he'd never be alone in the world. Never again.

* * *

So, I recently saw Knives Out and I gotta say, it's amazing! 100% recommend! Chris Evans in a cozy sweater is my new religion. But what do y'all think about the chapter? We now have our spider baby and he's getting the support he needs to thrive and be awesome. Now, just a heads up for the next chapter. It may take some time for me to finish. I'll be done by Christmas for sure but I'll still need time. Reason one is I have a Holiday Exchange Challenge fic due soon and I need to finish that. The second reason is that it's time for some Thanos action. Stay tuned because not only do we get some new fighters on the field but soon all of Loki's actions will be revealed. I'll see you around. -Shadows


	29. My only curse is you

HEYYYYYOOOO! I hope you're ready for this! Welcome to the Infinity War chapter. A whole lot's going to happen here so make sure you're paying attention to events that have already happened as well as events that take place in the movies but never happened here. *cough cough Thor 2 cough cough* So, is everyone ready? Let's get this party started! And get ready for a shit load of dialogue which isn't my forte but needs to happen. I'll see you at the end.

Also, there is a tiny bit of smut in the middle of the chapter. I'll block it off for those who don't want to read it.

* * *

A year and a half had passed since Peter and May joined in with the Avengers family and it was now late March of 2018. A surprising amount of stuff had happened in that short amount of time. After a long run of "will they won't they", Thor and Bruce finally got together. They were just as sickeningly cute together as Steve and Tony were. Tony was just happy that his science bro finally had a beefy blond sweetheart of his own.

Thor and Bruce weren't the only new couple in the tower. Bucky and Natasha had this very awkward thing going. Apparently they two knew each other from the Red Room and had decided to strike up a tentative relationship. Everyone was just sort of giving them some space while they figured things out.

And as for family life with the Stark-Rogers, things just continued on. Nicola continued to grow and thrive. They could tell that Nicola was smart, the kid had a knack for creating things. Nicola's favourite game at the moment was doctor. The kid wanted to learn anything and everything about the human body. He had all these books on anatomy for elementary school kids that he adored. At this rate, Tony and Steve could see their son becoming a doctor someday and saving lives. But whatever Nicola wanted to do they would be proud of their baby boy.

And as for changes with Tony, well, after much deliberation Tony had decided that it was high time that he regrow his facial hair. He was sick and tired of all the babyface comments. He was a grownup and he wanted to look the part. He may still be "young" but it was time to return to his roots. So, Tony regrew the hair and the media had a field day with it.

Not a whole lot had actually changed around the tower. The kids continued to grow and thrive, the Avengers worked hard in finally taking out the remains of HYDRA. Everyone was doing great. Therapy continued to happen for every Avengers to make sure everyone was healing and doing better. Things were great.

That was until Thor went home to Asgard in the middle of March.

Thor had been off-world visiting his parents for the past couple of weeks. His father was ill and his mother wanted him home to talk things over. Everything should have been cut and dry and Thor should have been home by now. So, it was a huge surprise when Thor returned home on the 28th of March not by the Bifrost, but on a spaceship accompanied by 7 other passengers. Laura and May got all the younger kids corralled while the Avengers went out to the landing pad to see what the fuck was going on.

"Thor. What's going on? Who are these people?" asked Steve as Thor and his companions stepped off of the ship.

"These are my new friends, the Guardians of the Galaxy. We come with grave news we must discuss. It is urgent." Implored Thor and the Avengers all nodded. Thor was a good judge of character. If he trusted these people then the Avengers would too.

Soon enough Everyone, including their new guests, were all seated in the living room. Some were sitting on the floor, some of the couches and chairs there, and some had brought in chairs from the dining room.

"Thor, what's going on?" asked Bruce as he sat next to his boyfriend. So, Thor started explaining what was going on.

"There's this being out there. He goes by the name Thanos. He is a destroyer of worlds who seeks the Infinity Stones in order to wipe out half of all life in the universe." Started Thor and everyone's eyes widened. Sure, they all knew that something big was coming, Tony had been warning them all for years. But the fact that this was finally happening… everything felt wrong.

From there Thor started giving as much information that he could, but he didn't have everything. For everything else, Thor deferred to the Guardians. Most of the explaining was done by Thanos' two "adopted" (re. stolen and abused) daughters, Gamora and Nebula. They gave the Avengers all the information they had including all the battle strategies they knew.

"What's our timeline?" asked Tony as he held Steve's hands in an attempt to keep them from shaking. It wasn't working.

"Maybe a month at the most." Spoke Thor solemnly. "We need to prepare. He's coming to Earth to look for stones.

"We need all hands on deck. Group training is going to have to increase. I'm calling in Scott and Hope and tomorrow I'm going to call Fury and T'Challa. This is big and we need everyone who can help." Commanded Steve. And soon enough everyone was beginning to work out a training plan after some calls and some much-needed introductions.

Tony thought the Guardians were an odd bunch, but they were a family in the same way they Avengers were. First off there was Peter Quill, or Star-Lord as he wanted to be called. He was born on Earth before he was abducted off to space where he grew up essentially being a space pirate. Gamora was next. She as just as badass as Natasha and her green hue reminded Tony of Hulk. Her sister Nebula didn't talk much and she seemed uneasy with all the new faces around. Tony had a strong urge to befriend her. After all, he knew first hand what it was like to have a shitty father and have your body modified against your will. The arc reactor that sat nestled in his chest was proof of that.

Next were the odd couple of Drax and Mantis. Mantis was an empath who could use her powers to tell what people were thinking. That would definitely be useful. Drax, on the other hand, was a bit of a brute who didn't get metaphors and thought the oddest things were funny. Lastly, there was Rocket the raccoon and Groot the… tree? Honestly, the first moment Tony saw Rocket he thought the guy was a Build-A-Bear. But, he was snarky and good with tech so he was cool. Groot, on the other hand, reminded Tony of Peter a bit.

And speaking of Peter.

"It's getting close to dinner. We should probably order up a whole bunch of pizza to feed everyone. I bet the kids will like that." Said Tony as he looked at everyone who had taken up residence in the living room.

"Wait… you guys have kids here?" asked Quill as he looked at the Avengers. Steve nodded and told JARVIS that it was safe for the kids and everyone to come up while he placed a massive order for pizza.

Minutes later the living room was swarmed by the Barton kids, Peter and his aunt, and Nicola who went running straight for Tony.

"Mamma! Mamma! Mamma! Zia Laura mi ha dato un nuovo libro tutto sulle ossa! Guarda!" (Mama! Mama! Mama! Aunt Laura gave me a new book all about bones! Look!) cheered Nicola as he waved the book in his hands. Tony picked up his baby with a smile and a small kiss to the cheek.

"Fantastico bambino! Ti sei divertito oggi?" (That's great baby boy! Did you have fun today?) asked Tony and Nicola nodded with a huge smile. "Ora Nicola, abbiamo alcuni ospiti qui oggi, quindi ricorda le tue buone maniere." (Now Nicola, we have some guests here today so remember your manners.)

At Tony's words, Nicola looked around the room and saw all the new people there. He squirmed in Tony's arms to be let down so he could go talk to all the new people. Nicola sure wasn't a shy kid that was for sure. Nicola marched right up to Nebula who was standing off to the side to avoid all the crowding in the room with everyone there. Tony chased after his son with Steve close behind and hoped that Nicola would be polite.

"You're blue." Spoke Nicola very matter of fact as he stared up at Nebula.

"Yes, I am." Said Nebula a little uncomfortably.

"I like blue. Blue is nice. Do you like blue?"

Nebula looked at Nicola for a moment before she responded. She didn't have any experience with small children. All she knew was that she had to be nice.

"Yes, I like blue."

Nicola smiled and Nebula felt some of the ice in her heart melt. This kid was cute for a Terran.

"Sorry about that." Sighed Tony as he scooped Nicola back up and brought him back to the group. Nebula just nodded in understanding. She had vague memories of being curious when she was little. There was no harm in innocent curiosity.

Dinner was… something. With so many people there was a lot of talking. Stories were shared about various battles each team had been in. The Avengers took it upon themselves to teach the Guardians about Earth's culture and customs. Just some basic stuff. Peter took it in stride with talking about all things pop culture with the Guardians. He had a lot of fun talking with Peter Quill who was thrilled to have the same first name as someone else.

That night though, once all the kids were in bed and all the adults had retired for the night, things were different. Steve was getting changed into his pyjama bottoms while Tony stood in the bathroom looking at himself in the mirror. It had nothing to do with vanity. Tony actually didn't really like looking at himself. It was still something he was working on in therapy. No, Tony was looking at himself and evaluating everything that was going on while trying not to panic because of everything that was going on.

"Anthony baby, you're thinking too hard. I know you're scared but we're lucky. We have time to prepare and train. We'll make it through this." Soothed Steve as he came up behind Tony and wrapped him in his arms.

"But what if we don't? What if I don't?" This all feels familiar. Like, in some other life I've done this all before and it didn't end well. "I just want to keep our family safe, Steve. I want to keep you and Nicola and everyone else safe. I don't want this to happen." Sighed Tony as he turned around to face Steve. Steve just kissed his forehead and lead the man back over to their bed.

"I know you want to keep us safe Sweetheart. I know you'll do everything in your power to keep us safe. You always do. We'll make it through this Tony. You have to believe that."

Neither slept very well that night.

Two days later Scott and Hope arrived with all their gear to start helping out. They quickly informed the duo of what was going on and everyone got straight to work. Tony called Pepper to let her know that he'd be taking a break from SI for the next little bit because of the upcoming global emergency. She understood and was glad that Tony always had a store of new inventions for times like this when he couldn't work. Now, all of his lab hours were devoted to upgrading the team with the help of Rhodey, Scott, Bruce, and Rocket.

Team training amped up considerably. They started off with everyone exhibiting their skills before Steve decided to incorporate them into a new training regimen. It was exhausting and taxing on everyone. But it had to be done.

A week after Thor arrived back at the tower with the Guardians, the Avengers were met with another surprise. And not the fun kind that made life easier.

"Sir, It would appear that two wizards at requesting entrance to the tower. They have Loki with them and wish to talk to the Avengers." Spoke JARVIS during an Avengers/Guardians training routine.

"I'm sorry… What?" sputtered Tony while everyone else continued to look confused.

"There are two wizards and Loki outside the tower and they wish to talk with you all."

"Yes, I know that JARVIS." Sighed Tony as everyone started to clean up their equipment. "Do they seem hostile?"

"They do not appear hostile Sir."

"Alright J, we'll all be down."

Once everything was put away everyone filed out of the gym and to the large conference room where JARVIS had sent the wizards and Loki. Nobody really had any clue what was going on. Once they all arrived in the room they were met with the sight of a slightly disgruntled Loki, A man with interesting facial hair and a red cape that seemed to be moving on its own, and another man dressed in elaborate robes.

"Hello there. I'm Dr. Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme." Spoke the man in the cape as he looked at all the others. "This is my associate Wong and I'm sure most of you already know who this is." He pointed at Wong and Loki individually.

"What do you want?" asked Steve a little crossly. He was tired from training and stressing over all of this.

"We're here because of the upcoming threat of Thanos. Mr. Loki here has information that may prove to be useful in the coming fight." Explained Wong, cool as a cucumber.

"Loki? Is this true? Do you have information that can help us?" asked Thor.

"Indeed I do brother. It's a long story. You'd all best sit down so I can explain." Spoke Loki, and soon after everyone sat down and listened with abject skepticism.

Loki started from the beginning when he fell off of the rainbow bridge. He spoke of falling and landing in the clutches of the Mad Titan Thanos. He spoke of torture and Thanos' plans to use Loki to steal the space stone which resided in the tesseract which was still in Loki's possession. He spoke of how Thanos gave him the mind stone to get it done but not before using it on Loki first.

Loki then got to talking about the invasion where he had enough presence of mind to build the fail-safes into the portal used. He talked about how Hulk slamming him around repeatedly managed to clear the last traces of control over his mind. Then things got a little weird. Loki talked about seeing a man who looked and sounded a whole lot like Tony call for a medic as Tony himself fell to a heart attack. That man was accompanied by a very little man with a suit identical to Scott's who pushed the tesseract towards them. But then, of course, the Hulk showed up and Loki was able to make his escape with the cube.

And then things got weirder. Loki spoke of receiving some visions from the Space Stone once he'd gotten so a safe location. One of which sounded eerily familiar. The first vision struck Tony was off. Loki explained how he was someone who looked exactly like Tony but maybe in his early 50's stealing the tesseract from on old SHIELD facility back in the fucking 1970s! That was odd because Tony would either have just been born or not even born yet at that time. The second vision struck a little too close to home. He described that same battle Tony had seen in his vision years ago. Every single detail matched up including the older Avengers and Tony sacrificing his life for the good of the universe. But that wasn't all.

Loki saw a team divided and knew he had to keep that decollate future from happening. What he's seen had shaken him and he had to fix it. SO, he set a very elaborate plan into motion. He started toying with the Avengers, causing minor problems to see where they all stood as a team. He hadn't liked what he saw so he cast his first spell on Tony in an attempt to bring the team closer to him. It was starting to work so he cast another spell. A spell that could pull Tony and Steve even closer together to avoid any fighting and separation of the team. To further solidify things, Loki had killed the other Winter Soldiers in Siberia himself to prevent them from being used against the team by the remains of HYDRA. Every last step was carefully calculated to ensure that Tony was alive and well to fight Thanos. He was the King in this entire game of chess.

"Which brought Loki to his current situation. Thanos was on his way and Loki knew how many stones he had. Thanos had recently taken the Power Stone from Xandar and the Mind Stone from some guy named the Collector. Thor had explained how Odin hadn't wanted the Mind Stone on Asgard when he brought it thereafter Sokovia it was given to the collector. And now he was dead. Not good.

"So, that's you've been up to all this time." Spoke Rhodey. "It explained a lot but what this doesn't explain is why you kept messing with my little brother. You put him through a lot of grief with all your tricks."

"Well, I knew that keeping you all as a tightknit group was the best way to do this. So, I did just that. I knew that love is a strong emotion that draws people together. I knew that giving you a baby would forge that bind tighter. I knew that keeping you from lying would forge a stronger connection of trust. Stark is the key to all of this. We need him in the best situation possible for this all to work. Giving him a support system full of trust was the best way to unify the team so keep things on track for victory." Explained Loki further

"But why the de-ageing?"

"That was mostly just for fun. Although it's easier to carry children when you're a bit younger. Plus it's fun to mess with you all. I am the God of Tricks after all."

"Thor, your brother's an asshole." Spoke Rhodey as the room silently contemplated everything that Loki had just told them.

But Tony wasn't really listening to the exchange. He was a bit hung up on the fact that he and Loki had had almost the exact same visions. Something about that just didn't sit right with Tony. And that got him thinking. From what Thor and the Guardians had explained when they arrived, these stones had a bit of a mind of their own. It wasn't that far of a stretch to think that these stones could have been out there in the multiverse and had seen some serious shit. With that as well as some other things about the Battle of New York, everything just fell into place.

"These stones have been in a different world…"

"Tony, what do you mean?"

"The things Loki saw are almost identical to the things I saw years ago. Someone took these stones somewhere else then returned them…" Tony had a look of clarity.

"Tony…" spoke Steve as he reached over and took his husband's hand.

"It was us! Or versions of us! Back during the Battle of New York, JARVIS picked up security footage of another me and another Steve in the tower during Loki's transportation just moments before I had a heart attack. Steve, that fight you had with who you thought was Loki on the catwalk wasn't Loki! It was another version of you! You said that it was the person you fought that had an identical vibranium shield, a locket with Peggy's picture, and he knew that Bucky was alive. Versions of our selves from some other reality came here to borrow the stones before returning them."

"That would actually explain a lot." Spoke up Bruce for the first time since everyone sat down. "It's possible that our future selves figures out time travel to get the stones to use against Thanos fought in that battle that both Tony and Loki have described, then returned the stones. But, in doing so they created a new branch timeline where Loki takes off with the tesseract. A timeline that we all now live in."

"But wouldn't that mess with a whole bunch of stuff pertaining to quantum mechanics?" asked Scott as he stared at Bruce.

"We live in a world where there are wizards and stones that can control time. This is the least of our worries."

"Well, that would explain a lot of things that happen but don't really make sense." Muttered Steve as he took everything in.

"Alright morons. This isn't the time for discussing where these stones have been. Right now we need to know where the other stones are and how we can keep them all safe from Thanos before he gets here and dooms us all." Snarked Rocket as he jumped up on the table, but not before confiscating Groot's handheld game so the teen could focus.

"Well, until recently the Power Stone was on Xandar and the Mind Stone was with the collector. As for the Reality Stone, nobody is sure. It hasn't been seen. Same goes for the Soul Stone." Stated Thor.

"I know where the Soul Stone is." Interrupted Gamora. "I found the map to it years ago and I burnt it to ash before Thanos could get his hands on it. I'm the only person alive who knows where it is. The less who know the better."

"So, Thanos is coming for the Space and Time Stones. Why don't we just destroy them?" asked Tony as he looked over at Strange and Wong.

"No can do. We swore an oath to protect this stone with our lives. We need to find another way to protect them." Snarked Strange as he glared at Tony.

"Fine then Sherlock. Deduce something else and be helpful."

"Everyone stop arguing!" shouted Steve and everyone fell silent. "This is bigger than anything we've faced before. We need all the backup we can get. We're going to call Fury, the UN, and T'Challa of Wakanda. The more help and resources we have the better. Can we all agree on that?" they all nodded. "The good. Meeting adjourned for now while Tony and I make the calls. Thor keep an eye on your brother. Clint, you and Nat can show Dr. Strange and Wong around. I have a feeling everyone's going to stick close by until we sort this all out."

And with that everyone began to disperse with Tony and Steve heading off to Steve's office to make the calls. But, they didn't start right away. The impact of their recent discovery with Loki and the stones was weighing heavily on Tony. His hands were shaking and his legs felt like stone bricks. Everything was just too much. The second they arrived in the office Tony collapsed to the ground as he lost his battle to hold back his tears and his panic.

Steve was at Tony's side the entire time, just holding Tony and offering comforting words. Although, Steve felt useless with his words. He was just as worried as Tony was. Tony was just the more sensitive of the two of them. But Steve did his best and after half an hour and lots of snuggles, it was finally time to call in the cavalry.

They called Fury first and he was given the job of alerting the UN about what was about to happen. The world needed to prepare for the worst just in case. And well, the Avengers needed to prepare for some new arrivals.

"I have a contact that will be able to help. Her name is Carol Danvers. She's powered and knows a lot about extraterrestrial threats. I'll give her a page." Stated Fury and Tony facepalmed.

"Give her a page! Fury please tell me you're not using a pager."

"Hey, if it works it works." Spoke Fury and Tony felt a little bit of himself die at his words.

"I'm also going to send you the Maximoff twins."

"WHAT!" shouted both Tony and Steve. Neither of them liked the twins after what they did to Tony.

"Listen, I know you guys don't like them but they've been training here at SHIELD. If this is as big a threat as you say it is then you need all the help you can get. I'm not saying you guys have to like this. I'm just saying to tolerate them until this is all over."

"Fine, but they're not staying anywhere near the kids." Conceded Tony.

After a little bit more planning and information sharing, they ended the call with Fury and switched to video calling Prince T'Challa. The young prince was quick to alert his father of the upcoming conflict and was given permission to fly out and join the Avengers. Once the king got news of just how massive this fight could possibly be, he promised to have his elite warriors ready to fight should they need the help. This was a battle to save half the universe, they needed all the help they could get. Tony and Steve sent their thanks and left to go let everyone know what was going to happen.

Two days and countless hours of training later, everyone was surprised when a buff glowing lady in a red, blue, and gold suit flew to the tower and landed on the landing pad, Most of the Avengers quickly left to go see what was going one. Their newest visitor didn't seem hostile. In fact, she seemed friendly and ready to make friends.

"Hi there. I'm Carol Danvers. You must be the Avengers. Nick Fury sent me." Smiled Carol as she went and shook everyone's hands. As she got to Rhodey Tony looked over and saw his brother trying his best to hold back a deep blush. Tony was totally getting him for the later.

They soon brought Carol inside and introductions were made. Yeah, Rhodey totally had a crush. He'd always had a thing for strong, powerful women. This doubled tenfold once Carol introduced herself as former Air Force. Tony had a feeling that Carol would fit in just fine with their merry band of misfits.

With the addition of Carol and the Maximoff twins, the training spaces, as well as common spaces, really became crowded. So crowded that they had to make meal schedules so that the kitchen didn't get so crowded. The kids, however, loved having all the new people around. Peter and Cooper were always full of questions. Lila liked talking to all the women and hearing their stories. Nicola and Nathaniel just loved having new people to play with.

And speaking of new people, the entire time the Guardians had been at the tower, Tony noticed that Nebula rarely talked with anyone outside of training. She kept to herself and didn't interact much. She reminded Tony a lot of himself before he'd gotten this family. He used to be the outsider, the one who was different. The one who had suffered at the hands of another and didn't know how to talk about it.

So, Tony decided he needed to show Nebula that she wasn't alone.

"Come with me." Smiled Tony one night when pretty much everyone was in the common room chatting and being general nuisances. He walked out of the room and into a small sitting room off to the side with Nebula following behind.

"Why have you brought me here?" asked Nebula as she sat down opposite Tony with a table between them.

"Well, you seemed uncomfortable with everyone crowding around and I thought you could use a break. I know what it's like to feel like the outsider." Replied Tony as he began folding a piece of paper into a triangle. Nebula just looked confused so Tony elaborated.

"My father wasn't the best either. He used to beat me, belittle me, burn me. It was bad. I know it wasn't as bad as you, but I know what it's like to have a shitty parent. And I also get the whole non-consensual body modification thing. You see this thing in my chest." Tony pointed at his arc reactor and Nebula nodded. "This was the first instance. I was kidnapped and had a bomb explode next to me. This keeps the shrapnel from reaching my heart and killing me. I got it while wide away in a cave in the middle of the desert. Then there's the whole thing with Loki." Sighed Tony as Nebula stared at him.

"What I'm trying to get at is I get it. I get why you don't socialize as much. I get why you fight so hard. I know exactly how you feel. I want you to know that you're not alone in this. Even if you can't trust the others then at least you can trust me."

Nebula looked over at Tony for a second as he continued to fold his piece of paper.

"Thank you." Was all she said, but the words held meaning.

From there Tony took great joy in teaching Nebula how to play paper football. It took a little while for Nebula to understand the point of the game but after actually winning something for once, she couldn't help but smile.

From there on Nebula considered Tony her friend. Her first-ever friend. She'd never had one before and she certainly didn't think they would be a squishy human, but she liked her squishy human. Plus his son was pretty cute too.

As the month slowly drew to an end, all the governments of the world came together to start protecting their citizens should they need while the heroes were off fighting. Contingency plans were put in place and medical personal were on stand by in case Thanos didn't go for the bate of the stones right away.

The UN had been in contact with pretty much every country in the world in order to find a place big enough for the fight to take place without wrecking the environment too much or putting civilians in danger. After conferring with the Wakandans they settled on a large swath of plains land an hour outside of the main city there. It was far enough that civilians weren't in immediate danger, the land wasn't protected by any party because it was land the King was considering for development, and it was close enough to help should anyone need it. The gear was already being sent out to the location so the Avengers and company could focus more on getting battle-ready then on worrying about food and water while out there.

The night before departure, Tony and Steve spent as much time as they could with Peter and Nicola. Peter was as good as their kid at this point and Nicola was their baby. Neither knew what the upcoming fight would bring so taking the time to just be together as a family was important.

UMTB

That night, after the kids had gone to bed, Tony and Steve went off to their own room for some time together. There wasn't much talking as they pealed each other out of their clothes while caressing each other's bodies. Steve took a moment to admire the delicate chain hanging from Tony's neck. It held both his wedding and engagement rings so that he wouldn't lose them while in the lab. Plus this way they always sat near his heart.

The two fell into bed together as they traded sweet kisses and gentle touches. Tony was laid on his back as Steve hovered above him and offered some friction for both of them. Steve reached over for the bedside table and pulled out the lube and a condom which he rolled on before he got to fingering his husband.

Tony had his legs spread and a fist in his mouth to keep from screaming too loud. Steve was doing amazing things to his body and each tender touch made his nerves light up. It wasn't long before Tony was sufficiently prepared and Steve was pressing in and kissing his husband senseless.

The two showered each other in love as they kissed and made love. It wasn't long before the pleasure began to mount and so did the emotions and fears shared between. Both were crying as they screamed each other's names and came within seconds of each other.

Tony and Steve just laid there in each other's arms for a while shedding tears, trading kisses, and whispering "I love you's". Neither knew what the next week or so would bring. Neither knew if they would even make it out alive. But they had this moment there in time. This moment where they were safe and loved. Where their kids were safe from danger. If only they could just live in this moment. This blink in time where they were all well. But they knew come morning that this was all about to change.

Neither slept well that night.

UMTB

The morning of departure was absolute chaos. There were last-minute gear checks, people were running all over the place, and kids were crying. Tony had a sobbing Nicola shared between him and Steve as he gave last-minute instructions to Happy and Pepper who had arrived to help May and Laura with the kids in everyone's absence. But Tony's priorities very quickly shifted when he saw Peter walking towards him and Steve wearing his Spider-Man suit.

"Peter, what do you think you're doing?" asked Tony as he surveyed the teenager.

"I'm coming with you. There's going to be a big fight and I know I can help."

"You're not going, Pete. This is going to be dangerous. I refuse to see you fight in the battle." Spoke Tony as he tried to keep his voice level. He really didn't want Peter in this fight. The thought alone was almost enough to send him into a panic attack.

"By not? I'm strong and capable. You guys need my help."

"Peter, please. You have to stay here. If the worst happens then you're the one here protecting everyone. I can't have you risking everything out on this battlefield. I can't bear to see you get hurt or killed in this." Pleaded Tony as he looked at his kid. He needed Peter to understand that this was too dangerous for him.

"But what if you don't come back? What if I don't see you again after this? I can't lose you too." Spoke Peter his voice barely a whisper.

"Pete…" sighed Tony as he handed Nicola off to Steve and Pulled Peter into a hug. "I can't promise that I won't die in this conflict. But I can promise that I will ALWAYS try my hardest to come home to you and Nicola. I can promise that I will always love both of you and I will do whatever it takes to come home to you. You got that Underoos?"

Peter nodded into Tony's shoulder and started crying. Steve saw this and joined in with Nicola in his arms as the family had a big group hug. They all needed that.

After about an hour of last-minute prep, it was time to go. With some last goodbyes Strange and Wong opened up some portals to get all their gear to their new destination. Tony looked back at his kids and family as he stepped through the portal. He didn't know what was going to happen in the future. All he knew was that he wanted to return home to the people he loved.

That was all he wanted.

The camp was already set up when they all arrived. There were tents, food and water stores, and places to keep extra weapons and ammunition. It didn't take long before everyone had stored what they needed and started to tour around their new battleground. The next couple of days were filled with drills to get used to fighting in the new surroundings. Everyone worked hard as well as rested hard. Everyone needed to be in top shape for the coming storm.

So, while the days and nights were filled with training, bedtime was filled with sorrow. Everyone was fighting their own demons when it came to the upcoming fight. Out of everyone, Tony had it the worst. He was so anxiety-ridden that his sleep was constantly disrupted by horrific nightmares of everyone dying and him being the only one left. Sure, he'd always know that something bigger was coming ever since Loki's invasion 6 years ago, but the fact that this was all happening now… It was too much.

His fellow Avengers, Guardians, and newfound allies did what they could to help out. Because of what Loki had said about Tony being the key to winning all of this they all felt protective of him. In this game, Tony was the important piece. They didn't know why at the time, but with Tony's ability to make split-second decisions from ever-changing data and the power of his newest suit he called the Bleeding Edge, they knew he would be an important player.

And, on April 27, 2018, they found out just how important Tony was.

It was mid-morning when Thanos and his troops arrived having taken the bait of having two stones so close to each other. Everyone had just finished eating breakfast and were getting all their gear together for the day when JARVIS detected possible hostile objects entering the atmosphere above where they were. Everyone scrambled to get armoured up and weapons ready as the first ship touched down followed by 8 more identical ones.

The ships were followed by dozens of Chitauri Leviathans that hung in the air in a foreboding manner. The last ship to arrive Gamora and Nebula instantly recognized. It was the Sanctuary 2. Thanos' personal ship. The team all started to get into their positions as Steve belted out orders. Everyone did a last-minute coms check and they were lucky because the second they finished Thanos had descended down from his ship in full armour ready to fight. The golden gauntlet on his left hand shone purple and yellow with the stones he'd already managed to collect.

"I guess you're the one called Thanos." Spoke Steve as Thanos got closer to the group of heroes.

"I am. I see you have my daughters here. Now, I'm going to give you all a choice. You can give the stones and save yourselves a bloodbath, or you can fight… and loose." Came Thanos' foreboding voice.

"We're not letting you get the stones." Shouted Gamora and Thanos frowned as he had actually been expecting the heroes to lay down and surrender the stones to him.

"Fine, I'll do this myself."

And with a wave of his hand hordes of dog-like creatures that looked like the demi-dogs from Stranger Things poured from the ships that had landed along with Chitauri soldiers, and four beings that stood near Thanos' side. As the horde got closer, Steve rallied his troops and with a final look over at his beloved husband, gave the order to charge.

"AVENGERS… assemble!" commanded Steve.

And with an almighty shout from Thor, Tony and Steve lead the Avenger and co into battle. The clash was horrible, bodies started to fly from both sides as everyone started to take down Thanos' minions. Scott had the great idea of turning into Gi-ant Man and crushing as many as he could under his feet. He had to take a few breaks to grab some orange slices to refuel but it actually worked really well.

Thanos stood back from the fray. Tony was assuming that he was waiting for the best opportunity to swoop in and get the stones. Nobody was exactly sure how much time was passing in the fight. Tony, Rhodey, Thor, Hope, Sam, and Quill were acting as areal support, taking down Leviathans and helping where they could while everyone else struggled on the ground fighting off the dog-like creatures.

Actually, everyone was holding their own alright until Loki thought he'd take his shot at going after Thanos. The god had walked up to Thanos and tried to buy into his good graces by offering up a fake tesseract as a trick. A trick Thanos didn't fall for. So, Loki did the next logical thing and pulled a knife on the titan. That didn't work either. Thanos, probably with the use of the stones he already had, was soon able to pry the Tesseract from Loki. And as the titan added the stone to his collection, he snapped Loki's neck.

"NOOOOOO!" shouted Thor as he saw his brother fall to the ground in a bloody heap. Tony and Hulk rushed forward to hold Thor back from going after Thanos. That was practically suicided with his army still this active.

"You'll pay for that!" shouted the god as he broke free and started killing as many Chitauri as he could with his lightning. He cleared quite the large area and that actually allowed Tony to get a very good view of what Thanos was doing.

And Tony didn't like what he saw.

Tony saw Thanos locked in a one on one fight with Dr. Strange. None of that was good. Strange was the one who currently held the last stone here on Earth. They couldn't let Thanos get it. So, Tony started shooting minions dead, clearing a path so that backup could get closer enough to help. But, even with Dr. Strange's powers and foresight, he wasn't a match for the power of three Infinity Stones. Strange went down hard and Tony knew what he had to do. He charged in hard and fast hitting Thanos hard enough in the face to knock him back from Strange enough so he could get away while also cutting the Titan's face.

"All that for a drop of blood?" snarled Thanos as he wiped the blood from his face. He turned to look at his attacker and soon the titan's face turned from anger to recognition.

"Stark…"

"You know me?" asked Tony all confused.

"You're not the only one cursed with knowledge." And Tony didn't like that at all. How did this mad man know of him? Was it from when he sent the nuke at the Chitauri ships? That had to be it. But Tony didn't have time to dwell on things. He had a fight to win.

"My only curse is you. Mantis! Now!" shouted Tony and with the help of Wong, Mantis was soon positioned on Thanos' shoulders and with all her strength, subdued the Mad Titan.

Tony jumped in quickly and started to pry the gauntlet off of Thanos' hand. He wished he had some help but everyone else was preoccupied in staying alive against the onslaught of Thanos' minions. It was a struggle. Even with Thanos subdued Tony had to manually move all his fingers out of the fist shape so he could pull the gauntlet off.

But oh boy when Tony succeeded in getting the gauntlet off he felt like celebrating. He smiled as he looked back over at the fight as he held the gauntlet in his hands and started to take off to get the stones far away. But, before he could do that he head a horrible scream as Mantis was thrown from Thanos' back and the titan reached for Tony's neck.

In a moment of overwhelming clarity, Tony knew what he had to do. He put the gauntlet on his own arm and felt pain and energy travel up the appendage and over the left side of his face as the armour burnt. Thanos quickly picked Tony up by the neck and started choking him. He chocked him enough that the helmet of Tony's armour shattered.

Tony struggled in his grasp as he fought for breath. He was scared but he knew what to do. He'd seen this all before. So with one last pleading look over at Steve across the battlefield, Tony clutched the gauntlet tighter to his chest and faced off against the titan.

"I am Inevitable." Spoke Thanos. The words haunting and hallow just like they were in Tony's vision years ago.

"And I… Am… Iron Man"

And Tony stared death in the face and closed his fist.

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"TONY! TONY! ANTHONY! OH GOD ANTHONY!" shouted Steve as he raced forward to gather the body of his husband into his arms. Tony was still breathing but it was very shallow. His left arm and the left side of his face were burnt badly and Steve's heart was plummeting. Steve was so worried that he wasn't even paying attention to the disintegrating bodies of their foes.

He was so worried that he wasn't even paying attention to his own wounds.

Steve's screams were loud enough to alert everyone else who all came running to see what was wrong. They'd all seen Tony go down but were unsure what had happened. Although, once they all got a look at Tony, they all understood why Steve was so panicked. Rhodey knelt down at Steve's side and helped him hold the injured man in his arms. Rhodey looked over at everyone, his eyes begging for help.

"We need to get him to the city. Our doctors there can help save him." Urged T'Challa as he watched Tony struggle to breathe.

Rhodey nodded and soon Wong was opening a portal to the palace so that everyone could get medical attention. Those less injured could return for their gear later. Right now was life or death.

Upon arriving T'Challa quickly called for medical help. A team of doctors was quick to arrive and despite wanting to remain at his husband's side, Steve set Tony down on the gurney and watched as the doctors scanned Tony over with devices he'd never seen before and quickly made the decision to cart Tony off to surgery.

Steve felt horrible as he watched to doctors take his husband away. He felt numb with grief, anger over Tony getting hurt. He just felt like throwing up. Steve collapsed down to his knees in the middle of the hallway and cried. His hands were shaking and Steve was almost in hysterics. Bucky was the one to get down next to Steve and pull him into a hug. He needed to support his friend. Steve needed it.

Steve lost all track of time after that. He had a vague recollection of Bucky leading him to a room and a doctor treating the gaping wound on his forearm. He knew plenty of other Avengers had gone in and out of the room to receive treatment for minor things and to talk to the others, but Steve wasn't paying attention. He just felt so lost.

At one point everyone was in that room after having received medical treatment. Everyone was relatively alright considering everything. Sure everyone had cuts and bruises here and there with a few concussions sprinkled into the mix. But other than Loki being dead and Tony in surgery, the worst injuries were Quill's broken leg and Sam's fractured ribs.

After what actually totalled to being almost 6 hours, a doctor came in and called Steve and Rhodey into a private room to give them Tony's prognosis.

"I'll jump right into it," began the doctor as she got all her files together. "Tony is a very lucky man. If his suit or arc reactor had been any different then he'd be dead. He's very lucky. As it is he has severe burns covering the total of his left arm, left pectoral and the left side of his face. With time and physical therapy here in Wakanda, we estimate that he'll regain about 85% functionality in his hand. As well, his optic nerves were damaged. He'll most likely need glasses moving forward. As well he has some major swelling around his neck so we'll have him sedated for a couple of days just to be safe. In addition to everything else he also had a ruptured spleen that we have repaired. Barring any unforeseen happening's Tony is expecting to make a full recovery."

Steve and Rhodey both let out sighs of relief. They both knew that Tony was a stubborn son of a bitch and he definitely proves himself that that day. As the doctor got up to lead them to Tony's room the two followed behind her like little ducklings eager to be reunited with their family. They were both happy to finally be able to see Tony.

But that sentiment changed when they actually saw him. Tony was hocked up to so many machines that were making all sorts of different noises. His left arm was covered in special bandages that Princess Shuri had developed years ago to help burn victims. The same bandages were all over the left side of his face as well and they completely covered his eye. Some of Tony's hair had been shaved away so the doctors could work. They'd also had to completely shave off his facial hair which was going to piss Tony off. He'd just grown that back! All in all, Tony looked horrible, but he was alive and that was what really mattered.

Steve and Rhodey took turns sitting at Tony's side for the next two days while Tony was sedated and healing. The doctors had added another bed to the room so the two exhausted Avengers could sleep without leaving Tony. After those two days, Tony was stable enough for the doctor to stop his sedation. Now all they needed was for Tony to wake up.

It took an hour for anything to happen and Steve was the one to notice the change. Tony's right hand had begun twitching in his. Steve gave it a small squeeze and was thrilled when Tony's eye began to open.

"Hey there Darlin'." Smiled Steve as Tony tried to focus on him.

"Stee?"

"How you feeling Tones?" asked Rhodey as he sat at Tony's other side.

"Thirs'y… hur's."

Rhodey was quick to grab some water and a straw so that Tony could have a drink. They made sure he took small sips so he couldn't overdo it. Tony coughed a few times while drinking but was otherwise fine.

"You gave us quite the scare there Sweetheart." Smiled Steve sadly but Tony was still quite out of it and wasn't really paying attention.

"Can' see." Slurred Tony as he slowly reached for his face with his right hand. Steve stopped him by gently taking his hand back in his. Tony looked slightly panicked but that was form pain more than anything.

Soon enough some doctors were in the room checking Tony over. They gave him some medication to help with the pain and soon enough Tony was back asleep. They'd told Rhodey and Steve that Tony would be a bit out of it for a little bit. That was to be expected.

Tony was in and out of consciousness for the next day before he got more coherent. But unfortunately with that came the pain. The doctors had to give him some pretty strong pain medication because Tony was in so much distress.

Once Tony was able to stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time the doctors gave him the rundown of his injuries. Tony was upset when he heard them. Any sane person would. But still, at the end of the day, Tony was just happy to be alive.

After a week total in the Wakandan hospital, Wong was kind enough to open up a few portals so that the Avenger's families could come and visit, with permission from the king of course. Cassie Lang was ecstatic to see her father. Same went for the Barton kids. But Peter and Nicola, they were just worried. When the arrived at the hospital Steve had taken both boys aside to explain what had happened in kid-friendly terms. He said that Mama was sick and had a lot of bandages so they had to be very careful about where they touched him. Both kids listened intently. They didn't want to hurt Tony.

When Tony finally saw his kids he cried. There was no shame. He cried and held them as best he could while only having one functioning arm and being bedridden. Peter had picked up Nicola and plopped him on the bed so he could snuggle up close to his Mama and Peter sat down next to him and rested his head on Tony's shoulder.

Steve just watched the whole affair. He was so scared that he'd never get to see Tony be with the kids again that this moment was a breath of fresh air. Tony was going to be alight and they could all be a family together.

The kids came in and out of the room for the next few days. Tony was still tired and needed rest and the kids got bored just sitting there. Shuri was kind enough to take all the Avenger's kids and show them all the fun stuff to do in Wakanda. Peter was right by her side the entire time and the two wreaked havoc upon the city and the stories the kids brought back to Tony were the highlight of his days filled with doctors and bandage changes.

Once the bandages were removed and physiotherapy began, Shuri actual came to pay Tony a visit herself. She'd brought him a gift in the form of some really cool new glasses that she'd hocked up to JARVIS with Rhodey's help. This way Tony could see with his new poorer eyesight as well as get incoming information from JARVIS. Plus they were red and gold so they were pretty darn cool.

Physiotherapy was excruciatingly hard work. Most sessions left Tony in pain and crying from frustration as the new scars hindered his movement. What made things bearable were the moments after when he'd get cuddles from Steve, Nicola, and Peter. Knowing his family was there for him allowed Tony something to focus on so he could move forward. He would get better. He would play games with his kids again. He would invent new things in the lab. He would thrive despite everything that had happened.

Finally, after weeks in the hospital and just a few days before his birthday, Tony was given the all-clear to go home with strict instructions on how to care for his new burn scars and exercises for his joints. Tony was ecstatic to be going home. He'd missed his own bed and being able to do stuff with the kids. He was more than ready to go home.

A few days prior everyone else had returned to the tower to clean things up and so that Rhodey could hold the official press conference to explain to the world what had happened with Thanos. Normally Tony and Steve would have done the press conference but for obvious reasons they didn't.

"You ready to finally go home?" asked Steve with a smile as they saw Dr. Strange open a portal for them to return back to the tower.

"More than ready. I'm ready for this to finally all be over."

"Well then let's go home." Smiled Steve as he took Tony's hand in his and they finally returned home.

* * *

Holy Fuck! That was a roller coaster. We had everyone coming together, Tony and Nebula becoming friends, the purple grape of doom is finally dead, and our boy is alive! I hope you all liked this chapter. It was fun to write.

Now I'm sure you all have some questions. I think I covered everything to do with Loki and why he did certain things. But there is the question of the Reality Stone and why I had the Collector have the Mind Stone instead. So, Thor 2 never happens in this. Jane never goes to Europe to search for anomalies that could lead her to Thor because Thor stayed on Earth with the Avengers looking for Loki. Boom! Now nobody knows where the stone is because it's never found. I hope that makes sense.

As for moving forward, I can promise you that this fic will be significantly fluffier from here on out. That's a promise. I'll be seeing you soon. Comments are appreciated. -Shadows


	30. This house is a home

This one's a bit of a short chapter but I'm pretty sure you'll all enjoy it. Get ready for some surprises. I'll see you at the end.

* * *

Being back home after being stuck in the hospital for a month was amazing. Tony was thrilled to be home. Honestly, when he'd used Thanos' gauntlet himself he never expected to ever return home to his family. He felt lucky. Very, very lucky.

Two days after Tony returned home they celebrated his birthday. It was a huge party with everyone still there at the tower. It was nice to see everyone smiling and celebrating. Tony was just happy to see everyone else in all honesty. He kept Steve, Peter, and Nicola close by the who time as he relished in the feeling of being alive and back with his family.

And that night Tony and Steve had some spectacular life-affirming sex so… best birthday ever.

Recently, Tony had come to the conclusion that he didn't care about the scars now covering his arm and face. In the past, sure he would have. He would have tried to hide away or cover them up. But not now. Now Tony saw these new scars as proof that he'd done the impossible and lived through the power of 4 Infinity Stones. Plus his new glasses sort of took the focus away from his facial scars so there's that.

A couple of days after the party, it was time for the Guardians to depart. There was a whole galaxy that needed to be reassured that Thanos was gone and it was their job to spread the news. Everyone was sad to see their new friends leave, but they promised to come back and visit soon. Just before they left, Tony gifted Nebula some things to play paper football with as well of some puzzles she'd been enjoying. It was a nice gift for someone who'd never really received one before.

Carol had decided to stick around for a little bit. It had been over 20 years since she'd last been Earthside and she wanted to catch up a bit. Rhodey was absolutely thrilled with this decision and appointed himself her official guild and started taking her out often so she could experience things. Steve had to hold Tony back on teasing the man about his crush.

About a week and a half into June, Tony was sitting in bed doing some thinking. He'd been doing that a lot lately. He was still on rest after everything that happened so he didn't have any stuff to do for SI or the Avengers so thinking was really all he could do. And there was only really one thing Tony had been thinking about as of late.

He was thinking about retiring Iron Man.

Sure, it wasn't like him to back away from the fight, but with almost dying to Thanos it put some things into perspective. In the past, Tony would have continued to fight until his death, and that nearly happened a few times. But now, Tony had a family that depended on him. He had a husband and kids and he had a life. A life he never thought he'd get.

It was high time that Tony got the opportunity to rest and just enjoy it.

"Hey Stevie, can we talk?" asked Tony as the two were getting ready for bed.

"Sure, Darlin'. What's on your mind?" asked Steve as he sat down on the bed next to Tony and took his hands in his.

And Tony, to his credit, went and just ripped the whole thing off like a band-aid. He trusted Steve to be fair with his decision and that was what mattered.

"I want to retire from being Iron Man. It's just… I've done so much and I know I'll never be able to perform at 100% again after Thanos. I just want to stay alive and well for Nicola and Peter. I don't want to die and leave them behind. We've already had some close calls. I finally have a family of my own. I don't was to loose that."

"Tony, I get it and I support your decision. You've done so much for this team out on the field. You deserve to rest and be with the kids. You deserve to be able to invent things and not stress so much. You deserve a break."

And Steve's words struck a chord with Tony. The fact that he was being told that he could finally rest was some of the best news of his life. Ever since Tony was a kid he was always on the go. He was always working and feeling like shit. But now, now he could take a step back from something and relax with his kids. It was a dream come true.

The next day Tony and Steve told the team what was going to happen. And you know what? Every last one of them supported Tony's decision. It was a huge relief. And sure, Tony would still make new gear for the team and help them out with intel, but he was no longer going to be out on the field. But the team was strong and they knew they'd all be ok.

The media, on the other hand, was a completely different story.

A couple of days after Tony made his final decision and finished up the paperwork, Tony had to hold a press conference to tell the public about this new change. This was a huge deal as this was Tony's first public appearance since Thanos. This was the first time the public was going to see his new scared body. This could only go so well.

At least Tony wasn't alone during the conference. Because this was an Avengers matter everyone was there to support Tony. And boy did he need it.

Despite the fact that Tony was the one to actually end the Mad Titian and humanity should be thankful, the fact that Tony was announcing that he was stepping down in order to heal and focus more on his family, well, there were some very vocal media people who didn't like that.

There was a lot of yelling. Like, a lot of yelling. A lot of not very nice yelling. The media wanted Tony to continue to fight. They thought it was selfish that he was stepping away after almost dying. There was so much negativity that honestly Tony was about 5 seconds away from a panic attack. Lucky Steve caught on pretty quick and took control of the situation.

It was moments like that when Tony was glad he had the other Avengers as family. They knew what Tony was going through. They knew how to help because they knew how Tony was feeling. They also all shared a common hatred of the press. Sure, there were some nice people out there who asked good questions, spoke the truth, and were actual decent human beings. But the majority of the press was just annoying, rude, and out there to hurt them. Especially at large press conferences because they could be more vocal.

But, despite all the bad press about stepping down, the actual public was really nice and supportive. There were so many people who were sympathetic to the scars Tony now bore from the fight as well as to his decision to step down and stay with his family. And it wasn't like he was leaving the Avengers. He's still be running tech for them. Iron Man just wouldn't take to the skies anymore. The public understood and their voices mattered more than the media's did.

Towards the end of June Tony noticed that he was starting to feel ill. At first, he chalked it up to being sick after the injuries he'd acquired recently. It made sense. But, Tony began to question that once he started feeling sick whenever he smelled cooking meat. That sent up a couple of red flags for sure.

But it wasn't until it was a couple of days before Nicola and Steve's birthday that Tony finally put the pieces together. Tony had woken up that morning and ran to the bathroom to throw up. Luckily Steve was already up and making Nicola some bananas and oatmeal so Tony didn't have to worry about his sometimes overbearing husband.

And as Tony sat there on the bathroom floor trying to compose himself everything seemed to fall together. Tony was mostly sick when he woke up and when smelling cooked meats. He'd been feeling a bit bloated this last little bit. And the real nail on the door head was the fact that Tony had the sudden realization that on his birthday he and Steve had had pretty amazing unprotected sex.

It was very likely he was pregnant.

"Hey J… could you maybe order a couple pregnancy tests. Don't tell Steve though."

"Of course Sir. You can expect a package down in medical this afternoon."

"Thanks, J. You're the best."

And so for the rest of the morning, Tony kept his little secret. He didn't want to tell Steve before he was sure. So, all morning Tony went about as normal. He ate breakfast with his family, played with Nicola, and made sure that Peter took his suit when he went over to his friend Ned's. It was all normal.

But after lunch, things changed. Tony excused himself to work in his lab while Steve went out to do some paperwork for the team. Tony quickly swung by medical and picked up the package before he sequestered himself in his lab with the intent of using the contents. Tony pretty much ran to his bathroom, read the instructions, and used the tests.

Tony ended up sitting on the floor while he waited in anticipation to get his answers. He just needed to know what was going on. Sure, he had a very good feeling, but it was good to know. When time was up Tony got up and looked at all three different tests that JARVIS had gotten him. He turned each one over in his hands just to make sure they were right. After that, Tony put the tests back down on the counter and took a step back.

"Oh shit."

He was pregnant.

Tony was a mix of excited and scared. He was excited because he loved Nicola and had always wanted to give him a sibling, but he was scared because this was so soon after Thanos and he didn't know how this could affect his baby. Tony's hands trailed down and ended up resting over his stomach. His new baby was growing there. Sure, he'd done this all before with Nicola but this still felt special. This baby was made of love and he couldn't wait to tell Steve.

Tony ended up waiting until Steve and Nicola's birthday to tell Steve. The day itself was fun. Nicola had had an amazing party with all sorts of games that the kids enjoyed. Scott and Hope came to visit and brought Cassie with them so Nicola had fun making a new friend. There was cake and Nicola loved the new toys he'd gotten. Tony could hardly believe that his baby boy was now four years old! Just yesterday he'd been a tiny little baby in his arms, not Nicola was getting ready for preschool and forging his own path in life.

But that night, that night was something else. After all the kids had gone to bed Tony pulled Steve aside before they went to return to the adults' party. Steve looked confused but with the way, Tony was smiling and hiding something behind his back made Steve a little giddy.

"So, I know we all agreed that you didn't want any presents but I have a feeling you'll really like this one." Smiled Tony as he faced Steve and bounced on the balls of his feet.

"Well, whatever could it be Sweet Thing?" asked Steve coyly.

And then Tony grinned even bigger and pulled out a positive pregnancy test from behind his back.

"I'm pregnant!"

"… What! How?" asked Steve dumbly as he tried to take in the news, looking between Tony and the clearly positive pregnancy test.

"Well, I think this happened when we had that incredibly hot, life-affirming sex once I was out of the hospital. If I recall we didn't use protection but didn't care because it was incredibly hot life-affirming sex."

And it had been incredibly hot, life-affirming sex. It was Tony's birthday, he'd been looking irresistible in his new glasses, and most importantly, he was alive. Steve remembered the night fondly. But still, this was coming as a surprise. An amazing surprise, but a surprise none the less.

"So… we're having another baby." Stated Steve as he looked Tony up and down. The emotions welling up inside him.

"I guess we are."

And then Steve scooped his husband into his arms. He bent down and rested his head on Tony's shoulder as he felt a stray tear or two fall from his eyes. Tony returned the embrace and kissed the side of Steve's head.

"Have I ever told you how amazing you are? God Tony, you're so amazing. I can't wait till you start showing and I can feel our baby. Fuck I love you so much. This is the best gift you could ever give me." Cried Steve as he stepped back a bit and placed his hands on Tony's stomach.

Tony smiled up at Steve and gave his husband a sweet little kiss on the lips as he placed his hands on top of Steve's.

"You're a good dad Steve."

"And you're a great mom. God, I love you so much."

And at that moment, time seemed to stop as the two just enjoyed this little moment of joy together.

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AAAAAAHHHHHH! It's time for another baby! Any guesses as to who it is? But even so… Yay baby time! I hope you guys liked this chapter. I wanted something short and sweet to follow all the hard shit from last chapter and I think I did it. Next chapter will be longer and probably out sometime around Christmas. Yay! I'll see you soon guys! -Shadows


	31. The smiles we share

Heeeeeeyyyyyy! How's it going, everyone? Just a little warning. There's some graphic depictions of birth later in the chapter as well as Tony being cranky. I hope you enjoy it. Also, sorry this took longer than normal. I needed to finish my fic for a holiday SteveTony exchange. You guys should totally go check it out when it goes up. I'll see you at the end.

* * *

Tony and Steve kept the pregnancy a secret until Tony was 10 weeks along. That was a month and a half of keeping this joyous news to themselves. But, they had a very doo reason for doing so. See, they were scared that something was going to happen because of Tony's exposure to the Infinity Stones. They had so many doctors appointments and tests done to make sure that everything was alright.

They were incredibly lucky. So far the baby was growing normally with no visible abnormalities. Very lucky indeed.

Tony and Steve also had another reason for keeping the secret for a little while. When Tony was pregnant with Nicola they had to tell everyone right away because this was a weird thing that was happening and Tony was still an active Avenger. This time, there was no rush and they just wanted to enjoy things.

Although, once they reached the 10-week mark they decided it was time to tell their friends about the baby. They started with Rhodey and Bucky. Those two were the important adults to tell. They were their brothers. They were family. So, they sat them down and told them.

"So what's the news you two?" asked Rhodey as he looked between Tony and Steve.

"Do you wanna tell then or should I?" asked Steve with a grin

"I wanna do it." Smiled Tony as he practically bounced in his seat.

"Well spill Tones. What's got you so excited?"

"I'm pregnant!"

Soon enough both Tony and Steve were engulfed in hugs and showered in congratulations from their brothers. Both men were happy and excited to have another little baby around. Hopefully, this one wouldn't be as messy as Nicola.

And speaking of Nicola, Tony and Steve knew they had to tell him before they told anyone else. Tony had been going over websites and journals on how to best let kids know they were getting siblings and to avoid too much jealousy over having a new baby that needed more attention than them. So, one day after Nicola came home from playing at the park with Clint's kids, his parents took him to his room and said they wanted to talk.

"Hey Nico bubba, your Mama and I have some news we need to talk to you about." Spoke Steve as he and Tony sat down on Nicola's bed with Nicola in Steve's lap.

"What kind of news?"

"Well, you know how Nate has a big brother and a big sister?" asked Tony. Nicola nodded.

"Well, how would you like to become a big brother?" Nicola started nodding very enthusiastically and he almost fell off of Steve's lap.

"When can I be a big brother Mamma?"

"You'll be getting a little brother or sister sometime in late January." Explained Tony.

"That's so loooooong. Why is it so long? I want to be a big brother now!"

"It takes so long because the baby needs to grow in Mama's tummy before they can come out. Right now they're too small to come out and play. Once they get bigger then you can meet them." Explained Steve, just happy that Nicola was open to the idea of having another baby around.

And then came the question they were all dreading.

"Mamma, Daddy, how did the baby get in Mamma's tummy? Did you eat the baby Mamma?! Don't eat the baby!"

Tony sighed and when he saw Steve's discomfort and took over the situation.

"No Nicola Bambino. I didn't eat the baby. You see, when Mommies and Daddies love each other very much they uh… they do a special dance that only adults know and they make a baby out of their love." Explained Tony. He was for sure making Steve give the actual sex talk when Nicola was older as payback for this.

"So now you keep the baby in your tummy until it's bigger?"

"Yup. So Mamma's tummy is going to start to get bigger and bigger until the baby is ready to come out."

"Can I say hi to the baby?" asked Nicola and Tony's heart just melted.

"Of course you can Bambino."

Nicola then proceeded to crawl onto Tony's lap and press his face to Tony's stomach and wrap his arms around him.

"Hello, baby. You make sure to get nice and big so we can play and have fun together ok."

Tony and Steve just smiled as their son continued talking to the baby. Yeah, they'd be ok.

Although, later that night Steve had some opinions on some things.

"A special dance? Really Tony."

"What else was I supposed to say? I was not about to explain to our four year old what sex was!"

So with one kid down, all they had to do was tell Peter. They both knew for a fact that Peter would be over the moon excited about a new baby.

And they were right. The day after Tony and Steve told Nicola, they took Peter aside when he came home from patrol and told him. The kid was practically screaming and jumping up and down. He was exactly like an excitable puppy. Peter was then sworn to secrecy as that night they were going to tell the rest of the team plus Pepper and Happy about the new addition.

With everyone gathered together for dinner, Tony and Steve decided to tell them all before they started eating.

"Guys, before we start Tony and I have an announcement to make." The room was silent as they waited for the news. Tony sat there with a goofy grin on his face as he announced the news.

"I'm pregnant!"

Soon the room was full of hugs and congratulations. Everyone seemed happy. Even Thor was smiling and he hadn't smiled since Loki's death. This was great news and something to help cheer everyone in the tower up.

"Wait, Tony. How far along are you?" asked Carol out of curiosity as the room began to calm down.

"Almost 11 weeks now."

"Wait, that puts everything right around you're birthday." Smirked Clint. " I guess Steve over here gave you one hell of a present."

Tony just looked down and blushed because yes, Steve had given him one hell of a present. And the pay off had been so, so worth it.

Much to Tony and Steve's joy, Tony's pregnancy was progressing normally and their baby was doing just fine. Although, they still did scans every other week just to be safe. At Tony's 14 week scan, they decided to take Nicola along so that he could see his baby sibling. The doctor was really good about explaining things for the little boy who just sat on Steve's lap excitedly waited to see his baby sibling.

Nicola watched as the doctor poured gel onto Tony's slowly growing baby bump and began to use the wand to get a clear picture. After a little while of checking things over and talking, the doctor turned the screen towards the little boy so he could take a look.

"You see right here Nicola, that's your baby sibling." Smiled the doctor as he pointed to the baby's face on the screen.

"That's it?" asked Nicola with a smile.

"That's it Bubba. That's your little brother or sister." Smiled Steve as he bounced his son on his lap. "You wanna say hi?"

"Hi, baby. Please come out soon."

That caused everyone in the room to smile. Yeah, Nicola was going to be a great big brother. No question about it.

After finally being able to see the baby, Nicola started getting very protective of Tony. Whenever Tony was laying down on the couch or a bed to relax for a bit, Nicola was right by his side hugging the baby bump. More often then not he brought their cat Acorn with him to help guard the baby and Tony.

"Such a big boy. Are you protecting Mama and the baby?" smiled Steve once afternoon when he saw Tony laying on the couch with Nicola's head on his stomach.

Nicola nodded and Steve ruffled his son's hair and gave Tony a little kiss before he joined his family for some snuggles. Both parents were smiling the whole time. It felt nice to be a family.

In the following weeks, Tony started having cravings. Tony and pregnancy cravings were a treat. A treat that often left Steve running around a bit and stalking up on weird food because he wanted to be a good husband. And he was a good husband. A great husband even. But even so, he could only take so much of some of Tony's cravings.

And he wasn't the only one.

"Nooooo! Not the onions again! I can't take the onions!" screeched Clint as he walked into the kitchen one morning and saw Tony munching on a whole raw onion with peanut butter.

Tony just smiled and took a big bite. It was always fun messing with Clint. Tony was the one who was pregnant. Clint would just have to deal with his cravings. At least Laura understood. With three kids of her own, they were total mom friends. She also got a kick out of annoying Clint during her pregnancies and was more than happy to help Tony on his crusade.

When Tony was about to hit the 20-week mark he looked huge. Bigger then he did with Nicola. But that wasn't a bad thing. When Tony was pregnant with Nicola he'd been so sick that he'd lost weight and also Nicola had been pretty small at birth. But this time, Tony was glowing and not sick at all.

Tony was also at the point where if the baby decided to cooperate, they'd know if they were having a boy or a girl. That was always exciting. Mostly because he and Steve could start thinking of names. That was the fun part. When Tony had been pregnant with Nicola, he and Steve actually had a bit of fun looking at all sorts of names before they came to a decision on what they really wanted. Tony was sure it would be just as special with this baby.

Then, there was another issue to contend to and Steve was the one to bring it up. The two were down in Steve's art studio just lazing around while Nicola was napping in his room when he brought it up.

"Tony, I know you think all those gender reveal parties are dumb. I think so too, but I know Thor is going to want to throw you another one. He's still so cut up about losing Loki. Maybe we should let him have this one."

"I was thinking so too. Plus it's a way to keep Nicola involved. I've been reading that it's good to keep older siblings involved so they don't get too jealous when the baby comes."

When they asked Thor if he wanted to throw a gender reveal party his face lit up. It was nice to see their friend smiling again. Thor had been so down since Loki died. It felt nice to let him do something that would make him happy. Although, Tony and Steve did have one condition. They wanted Nicola to help Thor out in decorating and planning games and stuff. They wanted their son to feel included and loved even when most of the attention was on the baby.

Thor was totally on board with the idea and soon after it was commonplace to see Thor and Nicola snickering together in the corner. It made Tony happy that his friend was feeling just a little bit better then he has been.

So, when the date of Tony's 20-week scan was upon them, they had their doctor place the results in an envelope to give to Thor who happily took it and went hog wild with Nicola at the party store. Well, at least they were happy. Having a happy healthy family was more important to Tony than anything else.

The day of the party followed almost the same as the one they had for Nicola. Tony mostly sat off to the side and talked with the other adults while the kids played all sorts of baby-themed games put on by Thor with the help of Peter. Tony smiled as he watched his son play with the others. He couldn't believe how lucky he was.

When it came time to cut the cake and find out the gender of the baby, everyone in the room was excited. So, with the help of Steve and Nicola, they cut open the cake to reveal bright pink layers. They were going to have a baby girl!

And so with that joyous news, Tony and Steve began baby name hunting. This one was a little bit harder than with Nicola. In the beginning, the only names that came to mind where the ones of their friends and family. They wanted their little girl to be her own person yet learn how to be badass from the people around her.

It was Tony who eventually came up with a name. He was reading the story of King Arthur to Nicola one night as a bedtime story. He used to love the story as a kid and once dreamed of being a knight. He was at the part when they meet Morgana and it suddenly hit him.

Morgan.

They should name their baby girl Morgan.

Once Nicola was safely off in dreamland, Tony made his way to his and Steve's room where Steve was sitting on the bed going over some paperwork. Tony walked in and curled up on the bed next to Steve who kissed Tony's head and wrapped his husband in his arms. The paperwork lay forgotten.

"I know what we should name our baby girl." Smiled Tony as Steve held him.

"What were you thinking."

"Morgan. Morgan Hayley Stark-Rogers."

Steve pondered over the name for a second, letting it roll off his tongue a few times. Each time he said it the more he fell in love with it.

"It's perfect." Smiled Steve as he placed a hand over Tony's baby bump. "We have a Morgan."

"We have a Morgan."

As Tony's pregnancy with baby Morgan continued on, Tony was becoming more and more thankful every day that he wasn't as sick this time. His morning sickness this time around had stopped at the beginning of his second trimester and that was the true blessing. Sure, he had the regular stretchmarks, hypertension, and aches and pains, but Tony would take those any day over being hospitalized because he couldn't stop throwing up.

Tony was about 7 months pregnant when Steve was finally able to feel the baby kick. They were laying in bed with Steve spooned up behind Tony. They were just holding each other and listening to music when Steve felt a little kick against his hand. Steve practically jumped in surprise and Tony laughed as Steve scrambled over to Tony's front and rested his head against Tony's baby bump.

"Hey, Morgan. It's your Daddy. You being a good baby in there for your Mama?" smiled Steve as he kissed Tony's belly where he felt the kick. Tony just smiled back at Steve who looked back with a few tears in his eyes. His husband was such a sap.

Nicola was over the moon excited to feel the baby kick. He would tail around after Tony all day or just snuggle up on the couch or bed. Nicola's little hands were always on Tony's baby bump. Everyone thought it was adorable, especially when Nicola would talk to Morgan and tell her all the fun things they were going to do when she got bigger.

The downside to everything was that Tony and Steve knew they'd have to make an announcement about the new baby soon. Tony had a charity gala coming up and if he just showed up 7 months pregnant without telling anyone it would cause a media freak out. It was better to just handle things themselves.

So, they went with a very simple announcement that Steve posted on his Instagram. The picture was completely from the waist down of their whole family standing in a line. Steve was first with Tony beside him and Nicola beside Tony. Right beside Nicola was a pair of tiny pink baby shoes and a chalkboard sign that read "Baby Stark-Rogers. February 2019!" Steve didn't post a caption this time. The photo spoke for itself.

As with Nicola, the internet lost its mind. The well-wishes quickly drowned out the hate as everyone got excited of the new Star-Rogers heiress. A lot of the messages were actually really sweet. Steve had seen and saved a few that he wanted to show Tony. He was just about to show him when he walked into the living room to see Tony laying on the couch with a tub of Stark Raving Hazelnuts balanced on his baby bump like a table.

"Tony… what are you doing?" asked Steve as he looked over the scene with confusion.

"Watching John Mulaney and eating ice cream while feeling like shit because I'm 7 months pregnant and tired."

Steve didn't even try to question what was going on. You don't argue with a pregnant person.

When Tony hit 8 months, he started lactating again. He wasn't as surprised as last time, but he was still caught off guard. He'd been sitting at the kitchen table working on a few new designs for the team while keeping an eye on Peter and Nicola who were sitting nearby and playing with Lego. All Tony was doing was sitting when he felt his shirt began to feel wet right at his nipples. Thank fuck he'd been wearing an old black sweater of Steve's.

So, Tony struggled to his feet in order to find something to remedy the situation.

"Steeeeeve!" shouted Tony as he waddled down the hall to Steve's art studio.

"Yes, darlin'?"

"Do you remember where we put my nursing bra when we packed up all of Nicola's old stuff?" Steve just stood there with a shit-eating grin on his face. "No! No! No! Don't you dare get horny Steve! Help me!"

Logically Tony spent that night being thoroughly ravished by his husband.

When Tony's due date of February first rolled around everyone waited with bated breath for him to go into labour. They waited and waited and nothing happened. Tony remained pregnant and grouchy. A few days after Tony's due date had come and gone Steve brought Tony to his doctor to see what was going on. She did some tests and found nothing wrong. Nobody was in danger and she wasn't about to induce Tony yet. Tony left her office feeling discouraged and uncomfortable.

And so began the team's attempts to get Tony to go into labour. Bruce gave Tony some teas that were supposed to help. All they did was make him have to go to the bathroom more. Sam gave Tony spicy food and that was a huge mistake. Sam was no longer allowed to give Tony food. Steve was often found giving Tony massages while offering what comfort he could.

"Come on Maguna, I know you're comfy in there but Mama would like to meet you now. Same with Dada and Nicola. So I'm begging you, please come out." Pleaded Tony one afternoon while he was laying in bed feeling like a beached whale.

"Tony, talking to the baby isn't going to make her come any faster." Sighed Steve even though he was feeling just as frustrated and helpless. He wished he could do more.

A week overdue soon turned into two weeks overdue and honestly everyone was frustrated. There were some nights where Tony would just breakdown and cry because he thought he was doing something wrong and that's why the baby wasn't coming out. It didn't help that his lower back was killing him.

Thank fuck that exactly two weeks after Tony's due date Tony went into labour at two in the morning.

Steve had been sleeping soundly spooned up against Tony's back while Tony lay awake and tried to work through all the twinges he'd been feeling since late that evening. They felt a bit familiar so after a while, he started to count the time between them. After about twenty minutes everything finally made sense as Tony was met with the realization that he was finally going into labour.

"Steve." Spoke Tony as he elbowed Steve a little bit. He didn't budge.

"STEVE!" shouted Tony and his husband bolted up in a panic.

"I'm up! I'm up! What's wrong?" asked Steve as he saw Tony grimacing as he tried to sit up.

"I'm in labour. We're going to medical."

And in true Steve fashion, he began to panic a bit. He did it with Nicola and now he was doing it with Morgan. Tony just let Steve do what he needed to do. He was just happy that this baby was finally coming out of him.

"JARVIS, can you call Rhodey and Bucky to watch Nicola? Tony needs to go to medical." Asked Steve as he slowly began helping Tony down the hall to the elevator that would bring them to medical.

JARVIS gave him the affirmative and also alerted medical. Once they arrived the doctor gave Tony a check over and made sure that everything was ready. Tony was already 4cm dilated. This baby was coming fast despite being 2 weeks overdue.

The doctors were in and out as dawn broke and the day began. Steve did what he could to distract Tony from the pain. Steve gave Tony some massages, they walked around the room a bit, and he just held Tony when he wanted comfort. Actually, so far this labour was going easier then it had with Nicola. Tony was really glad about that.

Although, things very quickly changed when Tony's water broke.

Tony had been laying on his side while Steve held his hands and whispered reassurances. Tony felt a contraction hit and a trickle of liquid. He knew that his water had broken so he had Steve call the doctor back. Steve also helped Tony roll onto his back to he'd be ready when the doctor got there.

That was when they saw the blood.

Steve didn't let Tony see. Although, Tony probably wouldn't even be able to see the blood if he wanted to. His head was thrown back and eyes were screwed shut as he moaned in pain and held Steve's hand like his life depended on it.

The doctor arrived and was quick to do an exam and when she checked everything she noticed that Tony was fully dilated, bleeding, and this baby was coming NOW! Very quickly the room was bustling with other doctors who were armed with medications, blood bags, and all sorts of things. It really worried Steve. He felt so helpless.

"Steve! Steve! I can't!" cried out Tony as he was instructed to push. He was sweating profusely and his face was becoming more and more paler.

"Yes, you can baby. Yes, you can. You're doing so well. You're almost there. I love you so much. You're going so well." Soothed Steve as best he could as he climbed behind Tony to help him sit up more and to support him.

It took almost an hour of pushing, but finally at 1:23 in the afternoon on February 14th,2019, Morgan Hayley Stark-Rogers was born healthy and screaming. She was quickly dried off and placed on Tony's chest and Steve helped cut the chord. Tony held his new daughter in shaking arms as he cried tears of joy and pain. He was pale from blood loss and he felt like shit, but it was all worth it to have his perfect little girl in his arms.

"God Tony. She'd beautiful. You did so good Mama. You did perfectly." Cried Steve as he held Tony and baby Morgan in his arms. This was always his favourite moment, getting to hold Tony and their new baby for the first time. Steve leant down and gave Tony's forehead a sweet kiss. He was so proud of his husband.

Steve and Tony continued to cry and admire their daughter while the doctors busied around and made sure that everything was alright. They cleaned up all the blood and got Tony one some pain killers and also a blood transfusion to help. Tony didn't even care what the doctors were doing. His daughter was healthy and that was all he cared about.

Tony had been instructed to remain in medical for at least a week now that the baby was born. Apparently something had torn and that's why there was so much blood. He was alright now but they needed him under observation. Tony was fine with that. Just as long as he got to keep Morgan near him.

After the doctors were sure that everything was alright, they left the parents to bond with their baby. Steve helped Tony to pull her hospital gown down so that he and Morgan were skin to skin. Steve also took his sweater off so he could hold them better and Tony definitely wasn't going to complain about that view. After about an hour of just holding the baby and watching her, it was time for Morgan to have her first feed. That went so much smoother than with Nicola because Tony already knew what he was doing. Despite Morgan only being an hour old, she had quite the appetite. Steve and Tony smiled and shared a kiss as they watched their daughter. They sure made adorable babies together. Morgan already had curly wisps of brown hair just like Tony and her eyes were already pretty dark. It was no doubt that she had Tony's eyes as well.

Just before dinner time, Tony and Steve let Rhodey and Bucky bring Nicola and Peter in to visit his baby sister. The kid looked so excited as his uncles had him wash his hands and lead him into the room. Rhodey and Bucky gave Tony and Steve their congratulations while Nicola went sprinting for Steve.

"Is that the baby." Smiled Nicola as Steve picked him up and set him on the bed next to Tony with Peter on the other side.

"It is. Nicola, meet your baby sister, Morgan." Smiled Tony tiredly.

"She's so tiny." Commented the toddler and Steve smiled at his son.

"She is. And it's your job as her big brother to help protect her and to be her friend. To help teach her things. I know you'll be a great big brother Nico. She already loves you." Smiled Steve as he kissed his son's hair.

"She loves me?"

"She does."

Steve and Tony watched their son start to talk to their daughter. It was just too adorable. Nicola was already smitten with her and Morgan was content to just cuddle up with Tony. Steve made sure to capture the moment on camera. He wanted it immortalized forever.

After Nicola left to eat dinner, Peter stuck around for a bit to meet the baby without his little brother in the way. He nearly cried when Tony let him hold her.

"Hey there Morgan. I'm Peter. I'm your bigger brother. I promise I'll always be there to protect you." Smiled Peter as he held the baby. All Morgan did was coo and hold his finger.

"You're a good kid Pete. I know you'll protect her." Sighed Tony as Peter gave Morgan back to him.

Peter didn't stick around for much longer after that. Some of the others wanted to visit and Tony was already getting really tired. With people in and out of the room, Steve took the opportunity to post the birth announcement of social media to keep the public off their back. Steve posted two pictures. The first one was of Nicola talking to the baby with his head turned away from the camera and the second was of Peter holding Morgan that Peter gave his permission to post. Both pictures were just adorable.

capamericaofficial So blessed to have this family. I wouldn't change it for the world. Welcome to the world Morgan Hayley Stark-Rogers. Mama and Dada love you.

After everyone was gone and just the two parents remained, Steve took his daughter in his arms and Tony hunkered down for a much-needed nap. He deserved some time to rest. Steve just sat there and held his daughter to his chest and watched over his husband. He was so happy that things had turned out alright for them in the end. Steve didn't know where he'd be without Tony and the kids at his side. He didn't even want to think about it. So he didn't. All he did was sing Morgan a little lullaby and smile over how happy he was. Life was perfect.

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We have a baby! Yay baby! I hope you all liked this chapter and sorry it took so long. I'm still proud of this one though. Now, some of you may be wondering about Morgan's middle name. In the movie, it's never said what her middle name is, just that it starts with H. So, I paid a little homage to Hayley Atwell who plays the very amazing and kick-ass Peggy Carter. So much better than the alternative that I'm sure the Russo's thought up. Man, it's like the Russo's and M&M never even watched the Iron Man movies or read the prelude comics. They'd know that Howard was a horrible parent. Personally I like to think that Morgan's cannon middle name is Happy because it's cute and more like something Tony would actually name his kid. Either way, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. We're nearing the end of this fic so pay attention to my notes as to what's coming next. I'll see you all soon. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and keep on keepin' on. -Shadows (Next chapter will be out sometime after Christmas because I'm not writing on those days. That's family and cheesy movie time. Ps. IM 3 is totally a Christmas movie!)


	32. My happy ending is you

Hey there guys! Welcome to the last main chapter of the story. Get ready for some surprises and lots of love. Don't forget to read my endnote. I'll see you at the end. Ps. Italics = flashback.

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**2023**

Tony watched as Morgan and Nicola ran around outside by the lake. They were such lively kids. Tony wouldn't trade them for the world. Tony watched them run around with Clint's kids and Peter who was home from MIT for the summer. Tony was sitting there on the porch of the new Avengers lake compound holding his two-month-old daughter, Ivy Maria, in his arms as she slept.

The new compound was very much needed. With the Avengers growing and their families as well, they really needed the new space. The compound was great. All the kids had their own space, the labs were insane, and they actually had outdoor space now. So with that new space, Steve was finally able to get the dog he wanted. Tony had surprised him with a rescue dog named Dogger last year for his birthday. That dog quickly became Steve's best buddy along with the kids. It was always fun to watch them all play together.

Tony was ripped from his thoughts as Steve walked over and sat down behind Tony and pulled his husband and daughter into his arms. Tony smiled and melted into the embrace. Steve sure knew how to give great hugs.

"How are you feeling Darlin'? asked Steve as he gave Tony a little kiss on the neck.

"Tired and sore. I just wish I would heal faster. I miss being able to do stuff with the kids." Sighed Tony.

"I know sweetheart. I know you do. Just 9 more months till the surgery and then 3 months after that to recover if Dr. Cho's use of the cradle is successful. You can hold out. Until then I'll pick up the slack and shower you with love. Our kids will understand." Soothed Steve and Tony sighed once again.

Because here's the thing. Tony was still recovering from Ivy's birth. And well, so was Ivy.

Ivy was born two months premature by c-section. She was born two months premature and it was one of the most traumatic experiences of Steve and Tony's lives. She was born two months premature and Steve felt like it was his fault.

Ivy had been planned. She was their only baby that had been. Tony and Steve wanted one more kid to round out their family. The night she was conceived, Steve made a big deal out of it. He took Tony out to dinner and they danced. Rhodey watched over the kids and that night Tony and Steve took their time just being together and so desperately in love. They told their kids and family and everyone was excited about the new baby. It was great.

It was when Tony was 3 months along when the problems started.

Tony started having chest pain and numbness. Because of the arc reactor, Steve brought him in to see the doctor who checked things over and gave Tony a different heart medication to try. They thought nothing else of it and continued on with life. They raised their other two precious children and prepared for their third.

During Tony's fourth month there was a dramatic change. During one of Tony's ultrasounds, they noticed that the baby's heart wasn't beating normally. That was cause for concern and Tony started having loads of appointments to keep an eye on things.

And then things quickly got worse. Tony started having chest pain again and the new medication stopped working. Tony was almost always in pain and he was getting dizzy just sitting up. The day Tony blacked out and collapsed had been their end of normalcy. Luckily Tony had been in their room with Steve and had fallen on the bed, but it was still scary.

From there Tony was admitted to medical and placed on bed rest. The doctors ran test after test and came to the conclusion that the arc reactor needed to go. They had the technology now so they could remove the shrapnel without too much worry. But they couldn't do anything while Tony was pregnant.

So Tony remained in medical. He slept most of the time and when he was awake he tried to hide how much pain he was in. It was rough explaining everything to the kids. Morgan was only three and for as smart as she was with things like numbers and science, She didn't understand why Mamma and the baby were hurting. She didn't like that and cried and held Tony for a long time.

Telling Nicola was a different story. He was already 8 years old and understood most of what the doctors were saying. He nodded along and tried to be brave but Tony and Steve knew that he was scared of losing his Mamma and the baby.

So, Tony remained and medical and Rhodey and Bucky helped out as much as they could with the kids so that Steve could be with Tony when he needed him. Tony slept a whole lot. Really, he slept most of the time because he wasn't in as much pain while he was sleeping. Steve barely left his side. And well, neither did the kids. When not at school, Nicola could be found at Tony's side talking about his day and telling Tony about all the new things he'd learned. Morgan was there too, often with drawings and math books that they'd work on together.

But unfortunately, not only was Tony getting worse was the baby got bigger, but so was the baby. At six months along, the heart murmur the doctors had detected had become worrisome and not that the baby was kicking Tony's chest had become inflamed. It was bad.

They were told that Tony would need to deliver early by c-section to help save the baby and Tony. Tony had a panic attack at the news. The last time he'd had any kind of surgery awake he was in a cave. He really didn't want this but he knew he had to save his baby. Steve held him and they cried together.

Tony and Steve didn't want the baby's gender to be a surprise this time. They needed to know so they could name their baby and possibly prepare for the worst. They were going to have another baby girl! Morgan was excited to have a little sister.

It was actually Nicola who thought up their new baby's first name. He'd been learning about plants at school and suggested the name Ivy. Tony and Steve absolutely fell in love with the name and they just knew that Ivy and Nico would have a special bond as they grew.

So, they had a first name that was all settled. But when it came to Ivy's middle name, Tony was very adamant about one in particular.

"_I want her middle name to be Maria. She needs to be strong and my mom was the strongest person I knew." _

"_I think it's perfect Tony. Ivy Maria. Our little fighter."_

The day of Tony's c-section was terrible. It was two months before his due date and the only reason it was that early was because Tony was getting worse and they were worried about the baby. So, they didn't have much of a choice if they wanted Tony and Ivy to have a fighting chance.

Steve stayed by Tony's side the entire time. He held Tony's hand and tried to quell his fears as he received the epidural even though he was just as scared. He got to remain at Tony's side as the doctors got him situated in the operating room and prepared to deliver the baby. Steve knelt down at Tony's head, held his hands, and gave him small kisses and reassurances as the doctors got to work. All the sound and people bustling around had both of them stressed out. Tony was clinging onto Steve's words and presence like a lifeline. He was scared of having flashbacks about Afghanistan.

Ivy Maria Stark-Roger was born April 4th and was the tiniest baby they had ever seen. She was tiny and helpless and hurting and crying and neither Tony nor Steve were allowed to hold her once she was born like they did their other babies. They barely even got to see her before their baby girl was ushered away with a team of doctors.

Tony cried at that. He was scared and in pain and he couldn't even see his new baby to make sure she was alive. What if something went wrong and he never even got to hold his baby? It was horrible. Tony and Steve just cried and held each other as Tony was stitched up and taken to recover. And, for as tired as Tony was, he remained awake with Steve until they got news about Ivy.

It took a few hours before they had any answers. In that time Steve tried to get Tony to rest a little but he refused. He just wanted to know hos his baby was doing. He just wanted to see her. And finally, after hours of waiting, they got some much-needed news.

It wasn't as horrible as they originally thought. The heart murmur wasn't life-threatening but would require surgery down the line to correct things once Ivy had grown a bit. But that wasn't all of her problems. Ivy also had a hearing defect. The tiny bones in her entire middle ear hadn't formed correctly and she would most likely need hearing aids to help correct for that. But not only that. Unfortunately, Ivy also had Steve's extreme pre-serum asthma. She'd need help and medication her whole life, but Ivy was already a fighter. She'd be alright.

Steve remembered what he said to Bucky the day they got Ivy's test results back. Tony was finally sleeping and recovering and Steve had been trying not to cry when Bucky came in to help where he could.

"_This is all my fault, Buck. All my fault. My baby girl's got all my problems but worse. I did this to her." Cried Steve as Bucky held him out in the hall. _

_Steve, it's not your fault. From what I've learned since going back to school it's that genetics is a crapshoot. If your kid is anything like you and Tony that kid's gonna be too stubborn to let any of this stand in her way. Plus medicine is way better then it was when we were kids. You'll all pull through. You're a family of fighters."_

The next few days had been rough. Tony was having a rough time healing so he wasn't allowed any visitors other than Steve. And to make things worse, neither of them had seen their baby. The longer they stayed apart worried them. It made Tony incredibly anxious. His heart ached for his daughter. He wanted nothing more than to holder her and make sure she was doing alright. It broke Steve's heart to see his Tony falling apart because of this.

Finally, a full week after her birth, Tony and Steve were able to see and hold their daughter. Steve had helped Tony into a wheelchair and soon enough they were lead to their baby. Both of them cried when they saw how small Ivy was. All the wires she was connected to weren't helping very much either. But, even with Ivy so delicate, Tony was finally able to hold and feed her fort he first time.

From there they got to spend more and more time with Ivy. Tony healed a bit more and soon their friends and family were able to visit. Nicola and Morgan loved Ivy. She was just so small and cute it was impossible not to. Tony was just happy to have his family together again.

Tony and Ivy continued to have doctors visits to see how they were doing. Ivy was growing and getting stronger every day and Tony was improving now that there wasn't as much pressure on his heart. They agreed to remove the reactor with the help of Dr. Cho and her cradle once Tony had stopped breastfeeding Ivy.

And finally, after a month and a half, Tony and Steve were allowed to bring Ivy home. It was a great feeling to be somewhere safe and familiar where Tony and Steve could watch over all their kids. There was a small welcome home party that the kids had fun at. Although that did end with Bucky stuffing them full of sugar so there's that. But it was good. It was really good. They were home now and could finally breathe.

And that brought them to right now. This fleeting moment in time where things were going alright and everyone was generally happy.

The team was doing great and they were stronger than ever in their own personal relationships. Bruce and Thor were still going steady. In fact, they had recently gotten engaged but were holding off on the wedding until Tony and Ivy were cleared to travel to Asgard. The two were just as sickeningly cute together as Tony and Steve were.

Bucky and Natasha had taken the time to sort things out and their on again off again thing turned into an actual relationship. The two were scary together but Steve was just happy that his brother had found someone of his own.

After much teasing from Tony, Rhodey had finally gotten his head out of his ass and had asked Carol to marry him. He'd actually fumbled the ring when he'd proposed and Tony didn't stop teasing him for weeks. But it was good-natured teasing. Tony loved Rhodey and was happy that he was happy. They were brothers after all.

Scott and Hope and tied the knot back in 2020 and were expecting their first child together. Cassie was excited to be a big sister. The ceremony had been beautiful. It had been held on a private beach in California and all the Avengers and their kids had been invited. Everyone had had fun and it was nice to see Scott and Hope so happy together.

With everything that had happened with Tony and Ivy, Steve had decided that it was time to start thinking about taking a step back from active duty. He'd been fighting for almost his entire adult life. That didn't mean he was leaving the Avengers. No, he'd stay on as a trainer and tactician. He was just done with fighting.

So recently, Steve had been training Sam to fill his shoes. He'd originally asked Rhodey if he wanted to take over the leadership role, but Rhodey had declined. He knew his days of working fulltime as War Machine was coming to an end as he continued to age. It was time for the younger folks to take up arms. So, Sam, it was. And you know what? He was doing an amazing job. Plus it was really funny to see the resist fuckwads get mad over a black man leading the Avengers. Those people could all die in a ditch. Their opinions didn't matter. Not one bit.

One of the more strange things that had happened in the last week was Clint getting a new haircut. And boy was it a haircut. To put it lightly, it was bad. It looked like someone had taken a lawnmower to his head but only left the top intact. Laura had actually yelled at him over it. Nobody knew what possessed Clint to get that haircut and they likely never would.

The compound was actually pretty busy at the moment. The Guardians were coming to visit for the first time in a few months and they needed to make sure that had everything ready to accommodate the extra people. Everyone was excited to see their friends again.

So, while all the other adults busied around in the compound getting things ready, Tony and Steve sat outside together and watched over the kids with the help of Peter. Although, Peter was essentially just a big kid himself and wasn't much help. Although he did keep the kids entertained so there was that.

"Tony, if you could go back would you change anything?" asked Steve as he rested his head on Tony's hair.

"No. No, I wouldn't. I think everything turned out exactly as it was supposed to. From everything with Loki to fighting Thanos, I think it all happened for a reason. And even though a whole lot of shit sucked, I still got out of it with you and the kids. And you know what? I wouldn't trade any of you for the world."

"You're a good man Tony. You're the best man I know. I don't know where I'd be without you. And I agree. I wouldn't change a thing. Loki being Loki allowed me to pull my head out of my ass so I could see the amazing man you really are. You gave me three beautiful children and a life worth living. You are my world, Tony. I wouldn't change any of it."

Tony smiled and leant up to kiss Steve. In the background they could hear the kids playing and laughing. In Tony's arms, Ivy slept on content to be with her parents. And Steve and Tony, they were happy. They'd both been through so much hardship in their lives and they'd come out stronger and so impossibly in love.

It was worth it. Every last moment had been worth it. And life was perfect. Somehow, everyone had gotten their happy ending. And you know what sometimes you need a happy ending. Not everything has to end in tragedy. A happy ending is just as good.

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So, this is the end. Well, not really. There's still two more chapters left. But this is the end of all the main stuff. I hope you all enjoyed this one. Sorry for all the angst. But hey, everyone got a happy ending and Clint still got that horrible haircut. I don't have much else to say except to keep your eyes open for the next couple of chapters. I've sort of written all three in one go over the holidays so it should only be a few days before the next one's edited and out. Thanks for reading and I'll see you soon. -Shadows


	33. Worth a thousand words

Hello there guys and welcome to the newest chapter. I've decided to try out a new format for this one. I've seen the interview format used a few times and it looks like fun so I'm trying it out. Let me know what you think. If this works I might do a social media and talk show AU fic for fun. I'll see you at the end. (Ps. I literally threw darts at a board to pick the talk show Steve is on.)

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Jimmy Kimmel: "Hello everybody. Tonight we have a very special guest joining us. I've very excited to welcome on Captain America himself, Steven Stark-Rogers!"

_Steve walks out waving to the cheering crowd. He shakes Jimmy's hand and takes a seat on the plush chair provided. _

J: Welcome Mr. Stark-Rogers. It's a pleasure to finally have you on the show.

S: It's a pleasure to be here. I would have been on earlier but life is just insane.

J: Well I imagine so what with living with the Avengers and having kids.

S: Surprisingly it's the other Avengers that make all the trouble. Honestly, they're often more like kids then my actual kids.

J: How so?

S: Well the other day Clint climbed into the vents and dropped a pound of green glitter onto Bucky. Now Bucky's on the warpath and Sam's helping.

J: And I take it your kids are better behaved than that?

S: Absolutely. My son Nico is more than happy curling up somewhere and reading and Morgan can be found with Tony most of the time building something or another.

J: And you have three kids, correct? _Steve nods _Then how about your youngest?

S: Well Ivy's still little. The kind of trouble she gets into is more the kind of a toddler learning how the world works. You can't get mad when she'd just trying to learn. Most of the time it's just her making a mess because she hasn't got great hand-eye coordination yet. She'll get there.

J: And what's it like for you raising kids in this day and age? I imagine that it's quite different from when you were growing up.

S: It's definitely different, but it's so much better. Medical care alone is worth it. This is everything I could ever want. You know, there was a time when I was still this small guy from Brooklyn that I never even thought I'd have anything like this. Having a family and kids of my own had always been a sort of pipedream for me. But here I am now. I've got the world's best husband and three amazing kids.

J: Well it sounds like things have been pretty good for you once they pulled you from the ice back in 2011.

S: It has. It was a shock at first but then I found a new life. A better life. Everything's perfect as it is.

J: Perfect? Come on. There's gotta be something that annoys you?

S: Alright, there is and it's kinda funny actually. My husband and kids all speak Italian and I just haven't been able to pick it up yet. One of them will start talking and soon enough all four of them are going off and I'm just left there lost.

J: Italian? Really?

S: Well Tony's half Italian and grew up speaking the language at home. He wanted the kid to learn it too. And, despite my best efforts, I'm still struggling a bit. The only Italian I've managed to actually pick up has been military stuff and swearwords.

J: And how are your kids if you don't mind me asking?

S: Not at all, the kids are great. Nico and Morgan are both in school now. Nico's going strong with his art classes and Morgan is enjoying kindergarten. Ivy has finally mastered the skill of walking and now wants to walk everywhere herself.

J: Well it sounds like you certainly have great kids.

S: Thank you. And they really are great. My older two, they're so helpful and kind. I couldn't ask for better kids. They help out with Ivy and make her smile after doctors' appointments and they were such a big help when Tony was still down after his heart surgery. Nicola especially. He told me he wants to be a heart doctor when he grows up.

J: That's just adorable. And your middle daughter, what does she want to be?

S: Tony and I are pretty sure that she'll follow in Tony's footsteps career-wise. Morgan already loved working on cars with Tony or doing math problems for fun. She's a smart kid. They all are. They're going to do great things just you watch.

J: So how are things with the Avengers? I've heard there's going to be some changes coming soon.

S: Well, with some of the original members getting older and starting families there's obviously going to be some changes. We have some new heroes about to join in the mix that will be announced soon. And as for me, I'm a few months out from retiring. Sam's doing a great job and it's about time I step back from active field duty so I can spend time with my family.

J: Well I'm sure that the Avengers are in good hands. I can't wait to see what you all do next. Let's just hope it's better than that weird dancing video that Thor and Barton did a few months ago.

S: Hopefully. Those two were on dishes duty for a month after that incident.

J: Well I can certainly say that I will never be able to get the sight of pink sparkly panties out of my head. And not in a good way.

_The audience and Steve laughed as they all remembered the horrible video. _

J: Well thank you Mr. Stark-Rogers. It was a treat having you on.

S: It was a pleasure being here.

J: Up next we have a performance from musical guest Hozier! Stay tuned!

UMTBUMTBUMTB

The Stark-Rogers kids. Where are they now?

Nicola Joseph Stark-Rogers ended up going to Harvard Medical and graduated top of his class. He became a world-renowned heart surgeon and helped people with unique heart problems because he never wanted to see people get sick like his mom and little sister did. He spent a lot of time in war zones helping remove shrapnel and giving people a better quality of life. Tony and Steve are very proud of their little boy.

Morgan Hayley Stark-Rogers ended up inheriting Tony's love for robotics and mathematics. She graduated early from MIT with a doctorate in mechanical engineering. She quickly made a name for herself and is now the head of RnD at Stark Industries. Morgan and Tony still enjoy working on old cars together.

Ivy Maria Stark-Rogers became an Avenger despite her parent's worries. She refused to let the illnesses she was born with define her. So, with Morgan's help, the two essentially made a special Iron Man-like suit that had speech to text and built-in hearing aids to help with the hearing problems, a built-in inhaler, and many other health monitors. Ivy's suit is green and gold and she goes by the name Iron Ivy on the field. Tony and Steve worry about her. Not because of her illnesses but because Ivy inherited Tony's bullheadedness and inability to follow orders while on a mission.

Peter Parker graduated from MIT with a doctorate in Bioengineering. He now works in a new branch of SI for bionic tech as well as being a fulltime Avengers. Ned joined in to help run tech as Peter's "guy in the chair". Peter also got married to MJ and they had a baby boy they named Benjamin Anthony. Tony cried hearing that.

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Well, guys, there's one more little extra chapter after this one. I hope you like it. Also, let me know how you felt about the formatting for this one. I thought it would be fun to experiment. Nothing like trying something new while blasting Queen in my room. I'll see you all shortly. -Shadows.


	34. Room for number three

Hey there guys and welcome to the very last chapter of Unmasking the Broken. It's been a wild ride but here we are. This is a special chapter where that's 100% pure porn so if that's not your thing just skip to my end note. And please read the note. I'll be letting you all know about my new fics coming up for 2020! I'll see you at the end. (How little Ivy was brought into existence)

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"Steve. I want another baby."

Steve had definitely not been expecting that when he's woken up that morning that was for sure.

"And what's brought this on?" asked Steve as he pulled Tony into his lap from where he'd been sitting in his office.

"Well, I always wanted brothers and sisters growing up and I know Nicola and Morgan have got each other but I can't help but feel like we're missing something. Like we should have one more baby and our family will be complete." Spoke Tony, his voice growing softer as he continued on.

The fact that Tony wanted a big family wasn't exactly news to Steve. They'd talked about it many times before. And well… Steve wanted a big family too. He'd grown up an only child with only his mother and Bucky as his friend. He'd always been a bit jealous of Bucky for having sisters to play with. SO with this new revelation of Tony's, Steve wasn't opposed at all. He loved his kids and to have one more would be a gift.

"I think so too. We should have another baby." Smiled Steve as he laughed a bit at the surprise that graced his husband's features.

"Really?"

"Of course. But if we're doing this I'm going to do it right. I'm taking you out on a date and then absolutely ravishing you when we get back home." Smirked Steve as he began kissing his husband senseless.

A week later Tony and Steve had employed Rhodey to watch over Nicola and Morgan for the night. Rhodey had no problem with this at all. He liked being an uncle to two amazing kids and it was always fun to spoil them every once in a while.

So, while Rhodey pumped the kids full of sugar, Steve took Tony out to a small Italian restaurant. The same on as their first date. The two joked around and smiled, but there was an underlying urgency there. They were both more than ready to have some alone time together that didn't involve Morgan coming into their room right after bedtime because she decided that she couldn't sleep without Mamma and Daddy.

Once they got back home to the compound the two practically ran back to their room. Steve slammed the door shut and made sure everything was locked up before he turned around to watch his husband lay himself seductively on their bed. Tony had unbuttoned his pristine white dress shirt so the arc reactor was on display. His wide black-rimmed glasses say low on his nose and his hair was already messed up from the kisses they'd already shared that evening. Tony was the very picture of lust and sin.

"God Tony. You lookin' so sweet there all laid out just for me." Smirked Steve as he crawled onto the bed and hovered over his husband.

"Only for you hot stuff."

Steve didn't even wait. He practically attacked Tony with his mouth. He kissed Tony's lips and breathed in every little sound that Tony made. He could drown in those sounds. The two took great joy in stripping each other out of their clothes. Hands roamed over each other as clothes were thrown all over the room. They could worry about that later.

Once Steve had Tony completely naked he took a moment to give his husband a good look over. The scars on his face and arm were still present but no longer caused Tony any discomfort. Tony's glasses had been removed and now sat on the bedside table, allowing Steve to get lost in his beautiful doe eyes. Tony's cock was standing at attention and Steve was drooling over the sight in front of him.

Steve wasted no time in grabbing the lube and beginning to prep Tony. Steve sucked multiple deep hickeys in Tony's neck and thighs as he made sure that Tony was nice and loose for him. The entire time, Tony was gripping the sheets and praising Steve's name as he tried not to scream. He was wound tight with pleasure.

By the time Steve had thoroughly stretched Tony and slicked up his own member, both were panting in need. As Steve entered his husband he felt almost predatory and possessive. This was his husband and he was the only one who could put a baby in him.

"Fuck! Steve. Steve. Steve!" chanted Tony as Steve began moving in and out of his warm, tight channel. Steve responded by leaning down and kissing him senseless. Although, as things continued on it was less sensual kissing and more breathing heavily and moaning loudly.

"Fuck Tony. You're so tight. So good for me. So good for me my Anthony." Moaned out Steve as he pushed in deeper and deeper. Tony replied by pulling Steve into a messy kiss.

Neither were sure how long they made love for. It could have been hours. It could have been minutes. All they cared was that the room was full of love and the blatant desire to have their efforts bear fruit but the end of it all. They were both lost in the moment, just taking each other in and enjoying all the sensations of love and trust. They were so enthralled with each other that it was a bit of a surprise when their pleasures began to swiftly mount and things got serious.

"Yes, yes. Fuck. Steve! Put a baby in me!" cried Tony as tears of pleasure began falling from his eyes.

"Yes. Fuck yes. Fuck you so good Darlin'. Fuck a baby into you. You look so beautiful when you're pregnant. Fuck. You're so hot and tight Tony." Growled Steve as he sped up even more.

Tony screamed and cried as he came. Steve's words and movements brought him over the edge. He looked beautiful as he gave all his control over to Steve. And Steve didn't last much longer after that. Seeing Tony come undone was always what did it to him. He loved that he could bring his husband such immense pleasure. He loved that he was the one that Tony trusted with these intimate moments where he could let go of his control and just feel good.

Steve and Tony stayed joined together for a little while longer after finishing. The two lay there in each other's arms as they caught their breath and calmed down. Unfortunately, things were becoming a bit sticky so they reluctantly separated. Steve left to go get a washcloth to clean them up and Tony stayed on the bed all spaced out. Steve loved seeing his husband like that. All peaceful and fucked senseless. It made his heart swell with pride.

The two lay cuddled up together for the rest of the night. Tony ended up sleeping with his head pillowed on Steve's chest while Steve wrapped his arms around his husband. At one point Steve had his arms wrapped so tightly that his hands rested on Tony's stomach where hopefully their new baby was growing. Both slept soundly and were unplagued by their usual night terrors.

A couple of weeks later Tony took a pregnancy test and the two celebrated the good news. Although, neither could predict the challenges that this pregnancy would bring. But whatever was going to happen they'd go through it together. They always would.

And somewhere out there in the multiverse, a long-gone Tony and Steve watched as their alternate selves finally got to have their peace.

* * *

Hey there guys! I hate to say it but this is the end of the fic. If you read this all in one go please go eat something and take a nap. You've earned it. I hope you all enjoyed this and thank you for holding on for this wild ride. Now we can all look into the future. I do actually have some fics planned. I have two big ones already outlined. One is a post IM3 fic where Tony adopts Harley and his sister and the other is an ABO Stuckony fic with a splash of soulmate AU. I also have some one-shots planned that I'm excited about. So, keep an eye on my page and check out my Tumblr lupinthealchemist where you can talk to me and ask me stuff. I apologize in advance for all the shit posting. Thank you so much for reading. I'll see you around! -Shadows

Ps. I hope everyone has a great 2020! May this new decade bring exciting new adventures and happiness.

Pps. I'm sorry if this chapter was a little strange. I may or may not have been wine drunk while writing it. Oh well. You win some you lose some.


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